Chloe and the Luthors
by Catheryne
Summary: Chloe has to fix up the mess that is the Luthor family. COMPLETE
1. The Proposition

Chloe and the Luthors  
  
Part 1 Proposition  
  
"You were supposed to be here hours ago," Lionel said into the phone. "What are you still doing in Metropolis, son?"  
  
On the other end of the line, Lex Luthor took a deep calming breath. He wanted to curse all the ineffective employees that moved the meeting with their clients without his permission. He had not even been informed that the meeting would take place tomorrow instead of the original schedule, which was this morning. He had thought he would have enough time to drive back to Smallville before Lucas arrived. "Apparently, the inept assistants you have here in the city did not believe it was necessary to inform me of certain schedule changes."  
  
"Well, that's not right!" Lionel replied. Lex detected a hint of patronizing in his voice.  
  
"Dad, listen to me. I was hoping I would be there in time but since I will be here until tomorrow, I need you to see to Lucas when he arrives."  
  
"My youngest son is coming? This is a surprise."  
  
"I wouldn't know about youngest but I am sure he's younger than I am," Lex quipped. "You're not hiding anymore spawns in the far reaches of the globe, are you?"  
  
"Why is dear Lucas visiting so suddenly?"  
  
Lex did not want to have to inform his father anything, but seeing as he would not be at home to control the situation, he explained, "Lucas blew his month's allowance on a poker game. I thought that instead of wiring him more money, I would just make him stay with us for the next two weeks."  
  
"A lesson on thriftiness from you, Lex?" Again, Lex gritted his teeth in an effort to quell his retort. "Well, never you mind. I will see to Lucas. We will get some of that father and son bonding time you and I have been doing since I moved here."  
  
"Great," Lex replied half-heartedly. "Make sure that you don't kill each other. At least wait until I get there so I can watch."  
  
Lionel raised his brows at the quip. He was sitting at the back of Lex's office desk, rifling through his son's paraphernalia. "I should inform you that your young friend dropped by, son. He seemed rather worried."  
  
"Clark?" Lex had told Clark that he was leaving for a meeting in Metropolis. If he did not even remember, then he must be very distraught. "Did he say what was wrong?"  
  
"No, no," Lionel told him absently. "He left in a hurry. I was able to learn from some of the employees' chatter that the Torch office was ransacked. And Clark Kent was seen in the scene of the crime."  
  
Clark would never have knowingly trashed Chloe's lair. At the thought of a ruined newspaper office, Lex's mind rapidly began producing images of a furious Chloe Sullivan, with red cheeks and wild hair waving her fists and yelling. He shifted uncomfortably on his chair and tried to conjure up images of his fiancé instead. The picture of the doctor eased the situation inside his pants. Thinking about Helen always served to straighten out his rattled brain. That was always a good way of lassoing his thoughts and put him back on track when he was reading business reports and assessing economic growth charts.  
  
"I should try and call the Kents and see what's wrong."  
  
"Yes, you do that, Lex. Well if that's everything, I have to leave now."  
  
Lex really didn't care whether or not his father had better things to do with his time than chat with him. But something about the way Lionel wanted to stop the conversation rather than rebuke him for not checking the schedule first before going out of town stank. "Where are you off to, dad?"  
  
"Why do you ask?"  
  
"Father," Lex said with a warning tone.  
  
"I'm off to the school, Lex. I wanted to see the damage for myself. Maybe I can help."  
  
Lex rubbed the bridge of his nose with his fingers. "Why would you want to do that?"  
  
"Is it so wrong that I want to contribute to the community?"  
  
"Father," Lex repeated.  
  
"I would like to personally ask Miss Sullivan what I can do to help rebuild her little office."  
  
"Why would you want to do that?"  
  
"Gabe says that his daughter is heartbroken. And we cannot run the plant without Gabe Sullivan."  
  
"I hardly think that Gabe Sullivan would quit just because the Torch was sacked," Lex drawled.  
  
"Come on, son. Where is that heart you claim to have gained here in this small town? Think of this as a thank you for everything Smallville has given you. Plus, I get to make a lovely young girl happy."  
  
Lex cringed at his father's words. He hardly thought that Chloe was a young girl, and hearing his father speak of her, Lex was certain that that was the farthest thing from his mind too. Lionel Luthor has some objective behind this. "Just keep your hands off her, dad. We can't afford a lawsuit."  
  
"I'd hate to point this out to you, Lex, but we can."  
  
"Dammit, dad!" Lex exclaimed. "Well then if you touch the girl, Gabe is going to quit. Don't think he won't. He's got headhunters after him and the competition has been making offers I've been struggling so hard to top."  
  
"Fine, Lex," Lionel gave in. "I wasn't even planning to do anything more than to offer financial support, maybe hire some workers to fix the place up."  
  
"Good."  
  
"Offer her a place to work in while the construction is going on, a place where she can work until the wee hours."  
  
"Dad, I'm serious here."  
  
"I'm just pulling your leg, Lex. Relax." Lionel turned the off button on the phone, cutting off his son's rant about his irresponsibility and his potential to ruin the company. Lionel glanced down at his watch. "Well time to leave."  
  
He made it to the high school in no time. Lionel ignored all the shocked looks thrown his way. He nodded to some of the faculty members who looked out their classroom doors to watch his progress. He stopped in front of one speechless kid and asked, "Young man, can you please tell me where the Torch office is?"  
  
The gangly boy stared open-mouthed and Lionel tapped his foot. He saw the boy's arm raise and point to the stairs.  
  
"Second floor." The boy nodded. "Thank you."  
  
Lionel felt eyes follow his ascent until he vanished at the turn. His eyes found the small sign on the door declaring it to be the Torch office. Even if the marker hadn't been there, he would have known what room he was looking at. The sight was horrendous.  
  
The columns were ripped and the tables were overturned. On the floor lay the remnants of a cheap computer. Papers were strewn everywhere. Pictures littered the floor. Amidst the chaos, a blonde head was buried in pale white hands. The girl's shoulder trembled. From the sound of muffled sobbing, Lionel concluded that the girl was crying.  
  
He cleared his throat. "Miss Sullivan."  
  
The presence of another person jerked her out of her self-despair. Chloe looked up at the Luthor patriarch. "Mr Luthor?" she asked in disbelief. "What are you doing here?"  
  
Lionel walked into the office and looked around him. "Well rumor of this brought me. What has you sniffling away there like a loser?"  
  
Chloe cringed. She deserved that. What kind of hard-hitting editor broke down in tears after a turn down? If she was going to be so weak, she had better quit the profession now. She stood up and walked over to Lionel, needing to show him that she hadn't been brought so low. "I was overwhelmed," she explained. "Principal Reynolds informed me that the school doesn't have the budget to fix this place up. I offered to work on one of the other rooms. I told him I only needed a computer. He says they can't provide that either because the basketball team needs a new uniform," Chloe narrated bitterly. She sighed. "But I'm better now. So you now that you've seen the horror here, you can go."  
  
She returned to her chair, stumbling over a fallen stapler on the way. Chloe managed to keep her head up high as she settled down on her seat. The moment she rested her weight, the furniture toppled over, sending her sprawling on her butt. Her cheeks burning, she glanced up and saw Lionel Luthor smiling down at her with his hand extended. "I've come to tell you I decided to rebuild your little newspaper office," he informed her.  
  
Chloe looked at the hand and the man suspiciously. She narrowed her eyes. "What do you want from me?" she asked.  
  
"Miss Sullivan, I should be offended!"  
  
She scoffed. "But you're not because you actually do need something from me."  
  
"Well, Miss Sullivan, not a lot of people know this but my family needs some therapy."  
  
Chloe grinned and, having ascertained that Lionel was going to be upfront, took his hand. She pulled herself up with his help. "That does not surprise me, Mr Luthor. The only shocker is that you can admit it."  
  
Lionel nodded. "We may be close to perfect, but we are not flawless yet."  
  
Arching her brow at that statement, she asked, "What does that have to do with me?"  
  
"Your father talks about you a lot."  
  
"To you?" Chloe's eyes were wide. Her father would never have spoken to Lionel Luthor about her.  
  
"To his fellow coworkers."  
  
Chloe folded her arms across her chest. "And you know this how?"  
  
"I have surveillance and check up on some of my employees' concerns."  
  
Chloe gasped and raised her finger. "You listen in to employee conversation!"  
  
"Not against the law." She clapped her hand over her mouth to keep in her squeal of outrage. "Miss Sullivan, I am a busy man. Now are you willing to listen to the job I need done so we can have a fair trade?"  
  
She tamped down her urge to cry foul at the intrusion of privacy on the plant employees' behalf when she remembered that her main concern was the Torch. If she could get the newspaper running again, she would expose the old snoop! Calming down, she nodded, "Please, Mr. Luthor. Go on." 


	2. Enter Lucas Luthor

Part 2 Enter Lucas Luthor  
  
The small amount of foam left in the cup swirled slowly on top of the dark liquid. Chloe dipped her mixing stick in her coffee and continued moving it in her cup. Lionel Luthor's offer had been generous if a bit unconventional. She supposed that she should be relieved that the older man did not ask for her to breach her journalism ethics or anything like that. He could as easily have requested her to use all her sources for illegal activities. Then again, Lionel probably had an entire department for that purpose already. Chloe could have even been asked to do some really disgusting stuff. But apparently, Lionel was not as big of a devil as the town believed.  
  
Still, she thought, quickly tapping her stick at the rim then mixing again, how could she trust something that was too good to be true? Lionel wanted to provide the money to repair the Torch office and buy new hardware that would take the newspaper out of the Jurassic era and into the twenty-first century. In return, Chloe would have to help him keep his son out of trouble while he was in Smallville. For a brief minute there, Chloe blinked at the man in disbelief until Lionel informed her that he was talking about the youngest Luthor. She had not meant Lucas when he was in Smallville, but if Clark and Lana were to be trusted, the guy was not going to be like all the other kids around here. That thought in itself made the prospect a little bit better. She was tired of the utter bores in the town.  
  
She had asked Lionel why she was chosen. After all, she was not the only person called responsible in the plant. More likely, there were dozens other teenagers fondly seen as nice and responsible by the employees.  
  
"I fear," Lionel had told her dryly, "that Lucas would drive all the other teenagers in this town running away in terror."  
  
His words caused her eyebrows to arch. "If I am informed correctly, Lucas Dunleavy did not grow up under your care, Mr. Luthor. Why would he be so scary?" After the words passed her lips, Chloe swallowed heavily. She should not have said that because she really needed that money for the Torch.  
  
He had made a clucking sound with his tongue. "And I've seen files that Lex had on you detailing how brilliant a researcher you are." Chloe's eyes had widened in horror. Lex Luthor had a file on her? That asshole. That was probably why he would always be around when she snuck out to investigate. He had been hanging around her before he went to Metropolis and with the amount of attention he had been paying to her, Chloe could swear that Lex had other interests. She had to learn from his father that he was playing some sort of Spy vs Spy game with her. Having seen Chloe's outraged expression, he had continued smoothly, "He is a Luthor now. And Lucas Luthor, Ms Sullivan, is a deranged psycho."  
  
Chloe had tried so hard to find a teasing glint in his eyes. Finding none, she had remarked, "What a fatherly sentiment."  
  
"It's what has made me successful in the business world. I don't depend on sentiment alone. I call it as I see it." Lionel had looked down on his watch and said briskly, "Well I will have to get home and wait for Lucas' arrival. Don't worry about a thing, Ms Sullivan. Lucas won't kill you in broad daylight. He waited for the family to be in private before he held a gun to his brother."  
  
Was she really going to spend the next few days keeping a guy like that company? Or could she even trust Lionel's description of the guy? Clark thought that Lucas was unlikable because of violent tendencies, not because he seemed insane. And she had to admit that the prospect of meeting and being around the newest Luthor intrigued her. She had not seen this much negative feedback since Lex's arrival. If there was anything consistent about the Luthors family, it was that they always made for good article material. It didn't hurt that both the Luthor men she had seen had this unmistakable attraction.  
  
"You know if you mix that any more, you'll end up with nothing left."  
  
Chloe looked up from the cup to see the concerned gaze of Pete. She smiled faintly and placed the stick down on the table. "Hey."  
  
"What's going on, Chloe?" The boy sat on the couch beside her. "You've been out of it since you came in."  
  
She huffed and denied, "I have not!"  
  
Pete shook his head and grinned. "You only walked in looking straight ahead, sat down, recited your order. And you've been stirring your coffee for the past twenty minutes. So spill, girl!"  
  
She lifted her cup to her lips and grimaced in distaste. "There's nothing wrong, Pete. I was just a little preoccupied. I'm going to tell you later. Now," she said, standing up, "I need to go get another cup because that one is cold."  
  
"Sure. But hurry up because whatever it is, it must be good to keep you in a trance."  
  
"You won't like it," she warned. Chloe smiled at Pete before walking over to Lana at the counter. "Can I get another cup, Lana?"  
  
The brunette placed a steaming cup in front of Chloe. "Say no more. I saw the moment you realized you've ruined your coffee. Already got it for you."  
  
"You're an angel!" Chloe took a deep breath of the marvelous beverage. She sipped some and nodded in appreciation. "Heavensent." She turned around and leaned back on the counter, watching the coming and going of the Talon's customers.  
  
"Isn't Pete waiting for you?" Lana asked.  
  
"Yup. He is," she agreed. "But I want to stay here for a bit."  
  
"Is he getting on your nerves?" the former cheerleader asked knowingly. "You did seem to be in deep thought over there."  
  
Chloe shook her head, still focused on the entrance. "Not exactly. But he wants me to start talking and I'm not ready yet." People watching was her favorite hobby, second only to meteor rock hypothesizing. The fare on the Talon was nothing though. The same old people came in and out. It had its best moments though, especially when Mr Small walked in unexpectedly back then. Her first sight of some interesting people was through the doors of the Talon too. There was that Phelan character, the reporter Nixon, some of the new kids at school, and Dr. Bryce. In retrospect, Dr. Bryce proved to be not as intriguing as Chloe had first thought.  
  
Then in walked a dark haired guy who looked nice, firm, and most importantly, not from around here. "Ooooh hot," she whispered. Chloe straightened her posture, not even listening to Lana's whispered comments. Having someone new around town was always a nice feature, especially if that person went to Smallville High. The young man seemed to be looking for someone in the coffee shop. He strode in and stopped at the center. Chloe walked over to him and extended her hand. "Hey can I help you?"  
  
"Depends if you can tell me where Chloe Sullivan is," the young man drawled. He looked the girl over from head to toe. "Or if you can't, you can just sit and have coffee with me?"  
  
Chloe smiled brilliantly, her curiosity peaked. A gorgeous new guy with nice biceps and a grin that could take your breath away never hurt. Add the fact that he was looking for her by name and Chloe was fascinated. "Well you're in luck because I'm Chloe and I would love to have coffee with you." She turned around to talk to Pete. "Let me just tell my fri-"  
  
The young man grabbed her arm and quickly turned her back to face him. He placed his hands on the curve of her spine and dipped his head so he could take her mouth hungrily. Chloe's lips stayed slack in her surprise. Before she could push him away, he whispered into her ear, "My name is Lucas. Someone is watching me and I need your help." He started nibbling on her lobe. "Got caught with a girl in LA and the brothers are after me. I told them I'm already in a serious relationship. If I can't prove it, they'll drag me back to their sister. Can't have a shotgun wedding with half the Luthor properties in my name, you know."  
  
Her mind quickly processed the information. So the youngest Luthor son she was supposed to spend her time with was gorgeous, sane, but a lecher. She would have loved to feed him to the wolves but she realized what a corporate meltdown it would be. She also promised Lionel that she would keep Lucas safe and occupied while he was in Smallville. Also, the kiss was not all that bad. She peeked at Lana's and Pete's gawking faces and answered, "You will owe me big time for this, Lucas."  
  
"I'll tell Lex to pay you back. Lex likes me."  
  
The reminder of Lex brought to mind the game he must have played on her. Chloe pushed away slowly and saw the man watching their every movement. She slipped her arm through his and pulled him over to Pete, who was now standing with Lana at the counter. "Guys-"  
  
"So this is the secret?" he gasped in disbelief. "You're with Lucas Dunleavy?"  
  
Chloe saw the movement of the man following Lucas as he sat on a chair within earshot. "His name is Luthor now, Pete. And yes. Lucas and I have been. involved. since he visited."  
  
"Is this why you were so preoccupied?" Lana asked. "Because he was coming back and you didn't know how to tell us?"  
  
"Brill," Lucas whispered into her ear.  
  
The bulky man leaned closer and Chloe swallowed, "I was afraid you'd be mad."  
  
"He was an asshole. And you said you didn't get to meet him!"  
  
Chloe bit her lip. She never liked lying, especially to Pete because he always saw through her. Pete knew she had a crush on Clark even if the object of her affections himself was oblivious. Lucas came to his own rescue. "We decided not to tell anyone because I was a jerk and I was leaving anyway."  
  
The man frowned, but only Chloe could see him. She swiftly added, "But we were in love so we couldn't help ourselves. We're very much involved."  
  
"Oh Chloe!" Lana exclaimed. "So that's why you said you're over Clark!"  
  
Chloe gritted her teeth, grasping Lucas' sleeve. "So if you'll excuse us. We have to have a private reunion."  
  
"Of course, of course," Lana gushed. While Chloe and Lucas were walking away, Chloe heard Lana say to Pete, "Isn't that the most romantic thing you've ever heard?"  
  
"Clark will be pissed," was Pete's reply.  
  
Chloe dragged Lucas out of the coffee house and spotted the convertible parked right in front of the Talon. "Yours, I take it."  
  
"How did you know?"  
  
"LCS," she pointed out. "You and Lex both have vanity plates."  
  
"Ah but his is his name. Mine is an acronym." He pointed to each finger for every letter. "Loves. Chloe. Sullivan."  
  
Despite the obvious lie, she had to grin. He was an amusing boy. "Well stuff it because it's over. The man saw us. Now we talk about making that humiliation up to me."  
  
Lucas shook his head sadly. "Can't. The guy is Lex's business partner and he's going to be hanging around the mansion until he meets with my brother."  
  
"You slept and left your brother's associate's sister?!"  
  
"See my quandary?"  
  
Chloe rolled her eyes. "So this is not over yet?"  
  
"You have to pretend to be my girlfriend for a while, Chloe. And Lex can't know it's a lie either."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"More fun that way."  
  
She looked at Lucas and saw the excited gleam in his eyes. "No. No no no no." 


	3. Meet the Parents

Part 3 Meet the Parents  
"I cannot believe that we have to meet your dad for dinner," she grumbled. When she agreed to Lionel Luthor's proposition, she thought that she would only have to show the youngest Luthor around time in exchange for the renovation of the Torch. Chloe instructed him to stop in front of her house.  
  
"Because it's my first day back. Mr. Cassidy is dining at the mansion. It would seem very odd if I didn't introduce you to my dad seeing as we're--"  
  
"In a very serious relationship," Chloe finished for him. "I know, I know." She stepped out of the car and arched her eyebrow when he remained put. "Well?"  
  
"I'm not going in there with you!" he told her. "Are you crazy? Your father would fry me alive. I don't even know why you have to change your clothes for a simple dinner anyway. It's not like my father will critique your clothes. He's the one who gave you to me."  
  
"Excuse me!" Chloe exclaimed. She stalked over to Lucas' side of the car and gripped his lapel. "Your father," she emphasized with a hard finger on his chest, "did not give me to you. I am not anybody's to give. Think of it as being hired to do the service of being your nanny."  
  
"Sexy nanny then. Little boys get fantasies about their nannies, don't they?"  
  
His smirk drove her to the edge of her patience. "That's it! You're coming with me." She half-dragged him to the house and opened the door. "Sit," she commanded sternly. Lucas found himself sinking onto a chair. "Dad!" Chloe called out. "Dad, I have someone for you to meet!"  
  
She hid her grin at the stiff and uncomfortable way that the arrogant Lucas Luthor carried himself. Her father emerged from the kitchen. "What's with the racket, Chloe? And would you care to explain to me why I just talked to Lana on the phone and she was gushing about how you've found true love?"  
  
Chloe bit her inner cheek. For once, Lana's call was propitious. She feigned a very somber expression as she took her dad's hand in her own. "Dad, Lana was right." She pulled him to the living room, where Lucas shot to his feet at the sight of Gabe Sullivan.  
  
"Sir," he managed.  
  
"Dad, I know I'm young and that you think I can't make big decisions yet. But this is one decision I am grateful I made. Lucas, this is my dad. Dad, this is the love of my life, fiance once we pick up the ring he had made for me," she continued with an evil gleam in her eye, "Lucas."  
  
She almost pitied her father, who sputtered at her words. "Honey, what? Fiance? And Lucas. Luthor? Chloe, what are you telling me?"  
  
"I thought that was a pretty clear explanation, wasn't it, darling?" she drawled at Lucas, who glowered at her in return. "But for his edification, why don't you tell my dad about how we fell in love?"  
  
Lucas' cheeks bloomed with color. He glanced at Gabe uncertainly. "I'm not really comfortable discussing my emotions so openly, Mr Sullivan--being a Luthor and all. You understand."  
  
"Of course of course," Gabe mumbled. His eyes flicked from his daughter to this new Luthor kid. And he had thought that Chloe's crush on his boss was hard enough. Now she was actually involved with the brother of the object of her fantasies? His daughter's life was fast becoming a soap opera.  
  
"Lucas, maybe you can call my dad 'dad.'"  
  
"Your boyfriend has a father already," Gabe snapped. And then, realizing how he referred to Lucas Luthor, Gabe paled. "What I mean is that Lucas should call me Gabe instead."  
  
"That would be much better. Thank you."  
  
"Well," Chloe announced with clasped hands. "I'm glad you're getting along splendidly. I have to go upstairs and change since Lucas and I are meeting his dad for dinner tonight. Dad, can you keep him company? I don't want him to be lonely."  
  
"Chloe--" Before Gabe finished his sentence, his daughter had disappeared up the stairs. He looked at Lucas and indicated that the young man should take a seat. Gabe took the seat directly across from him. Lucas kept glancing everywhere except for Gabe. "So tell me, Lucas. What are your future plans for yourself and my daughter?"  
  
Madly searching his brain for an appropriate answer that would not get him kicked out of the house and banned from seeing the girl who would save him, Lucas silently cursed the minute his father talked to him about Chloe Sullivan.  
  
By the time that Chloe skipped down the stairs, Lucas was figuratively a melted pool of butter on the living room floor. He could not just let her get away with treating him that way. Her action today was underhanded and unexpected, characteristics that he never enjoyed when he wasn't the one causing them. He would get his revenge yet.  
  
"Bye dad." Chloe kissed her father on the cheek and turned to Lucas. "Let's go."  
  
"Hey." He grabbed her hand before she turned away. "Wait a minute there, gorgeous. I haven't even told you how beautiful you look. A man must always give compliments, isn't that right, Gabe?"  
  
"I suppose so." Gabe nodded, still ill at ease at the prospect that Chloe was dating the young man rumored to be a little off in the head and a lot hot tempered.  
  
"Well then tell me," Chloe said with a smug grin.  
  
"You are so beautiful," Lucas complied, "that you have me thinking only about this." He pulled her into his arms right in front of her father and kissed her slowly. She could not fully give herself to the sensation because she was watching her dad watch them in horror.  
  
The entire way to the Luthor castle, Chloe kept hitting Lucas on the arm or on the head with tissue paper, a magazine or her hand. She covered her face with her hands, whining about the unbelievable move he made. Her father would kill her when she got home. "You started it," Lucas reminded her. "You're the one who had to introduce me as your fiance."  
  
"Something I would not have done if you didn't refer to me as a worthless property being handed over one Luthor to another." And image of being in Lex's embrace, then in Lucas' arms before being kissed by Lex again while Lucas massaged her shoulders, flitted across her mind. She shook herself violently to clear her brain. "Anyway. yeah."  
  
"That was because you insisted on changing."  
  
"That was lame. Learn the verbal judo from your brother before you even think of approaching the master," she cautioned proudly.  
  
The two of them made their way through the maze of corridors. "This place really could use some central heating," she thought out loud. To her surprise, he wrapped an arm around her shoulders and she immediately felt warmer. She was about to thank him for the genuine care when they rounded the corner and she found themselves in front of Lionel Luthor and Mr. Cassidy.  
  
Lucas nodded at the associate. He hugged his father quickly. "So you brought your young lady with you, Lucas," Lionel exclaimed. "She's very pretty."  
  
Chloe restrained herself from rolling her eyes. "Thank you, Mr Luthor."  
  
"Lionel please."  
  
"See, Chloe," Lucas told her with a nudge. "Just like your dad wanted me to call him Gabe."  
  
"You've met Gabe Sullivan?" Lucas nodded. "Well, son, I hope you made a good impression. That's a good man and a marvelous employee there. He runs the plant by himself."  
  
Mr. Cassidy decided to make his presence acknowledged by speaking up. "You are conveniently forgetting Lex's role in the business, Lionel."  
  
"Oh yes. Lex helps too of course." Lionel dismissed the idea with a shrug. He turned back to Chloe. "So Chloe, how is your relationship with Lucas?"  
  
"Definitely more than I expected," she told Lionel, accenting heavily.  
  
Lionel grinned. The girl's hidden emphasis was not lost on him. "I am sure that you are adequately compensated. My son is a very nice young man."  
  
Chloe almost laughed out loud at having Lionel refer to Lucas as nice after warning him about how much of a direct answer that boy was. "Sure, Lionel."  
  
"So shall we be seated?"  
  
Lucas led Chloe to her chair and pulled it out for her. "I swear if you pull that out of my bottom all the way I will castrate you and feed your male parts to the dogs."  
  
He leaned close and whispered into her ear, "Giggle like I said something very romantic."  
  
Chloe started giggling. That pleased Lucas until she finished it off with, "I can't believe you did that here. Tell the maids to draw the drapes! That was a huge one!"  
tbc 


	4. Here Comes Lex

Part 4 Here Comes Lex  
  
Of all the graduates in America, Lex Luthor wondered why the most incompetent had to go to Metropolis. Even more, Lex Luthor wondered why his Human Resources department went on a panic attack and hired them all.  
  
At around six that night, his assistant knocked on the door and timidly walked into the room, shoulders hunched. A sense of foreboding came over him at sight of the younger man's hunched shoulders. His usually proud assistant kept his eyes on the floor.  
  
"Is there a stain on the wood?" Lex decided to ask.  
  
The assistant looked up at him quickly, giving Lex the impression that the younger man had drifted off to his own secure world. "Oh no, Mr Luthor. I just wanted to inform you that the client will not be meeting with you tomorrow."  
  
Lex waited for the man to continue. Inside he was calculating just how much they could raise the cost of production, just to get back at the client. "He rescheduled?" Lex needed to clarify. He was still a just man, after all.  
  
"Umm. No sir."  
  
"Then what happened?"  
  
"Well there appears to be a miscommunication. The client was waiting for you this morning."  
  
The cool and calm business exterior that he possessed did not often extend to stupidity. "Then why was I informed that we were not meeting today?"  
  
"That would be the miscommunication, sir."  
  
Lex slowly placed his elbow on his desk. He waved his assistant away, sending the man scurrying out of the office. He massaged his temples to get his blood flowing again. With the extreme irritation he was experiencing, it would have been so easy for his vessels to burst. It seemed like he was going to be home earlier than expected.  
  
When he did step out of his silver car a few hours later, Lex's temper had cooled with the temperature. The drive from Metropolis while the sun set provided him with enough time to pacify himself and at least have an outwardly collected mood to meet his brother. Lex had always had the need to turn himself into some sort of model since he met Lucas. It was mostly out of the sheer pride he took in finally being an older brother. He wanted to be the person he had always thought he would be had Julian lived and grown up to be the brother he needed.  
  
Even though part of his good mood was forced, a lot of the lightness he felt in his heart when he walked to the dining room where he was told that his brother and father were entertaining guests, was because he truly had been looking forward to seeing Lucas again, despite the circumstances that landed him back to Smallville. Lex waited for the servant to open the door, and he swept in with a welcoming smile on his face.  
  
He stopped right there, paralyzed by the sight before him. He blinked once, twice, then a great number of times that he had lost count already. Lex shook his head to clear his vision. When he looked again, the sight before him was the same. There was his father conversing with an LA contact they had. It was not weird seeing Lionel Luthor still holding dinner for a man like Mr. Cassidy. The businessman brought some large ontracts their way. What surprised Lex really was the sight of his brother at the other side of the table, holding out a forkful of lettuce, drenched in thousand island dressing, to the full red lips he had been fantasizing about. Chloe Sullivan blushed prettily when Mr. Cassidy commented to Lionel how obsequious Lucas seemed to be with his new girl. To that, Chloe had responded, to Lex's surprise, that it seemed to her that she and Lucas had been in love since they were born. Lex frowned. That was not a Chloe Sullivan line. That was a load of bull if he ever heard one. But then Chloe reached out to wipe some dressing off Lucas' bottom lip and Lex knew that somehow, with the aid of something unexplained, his brother managed to land the girl that Lex himself had told himself he could not have.  
  
He cleared his throat to shame them enough that they would spring away from each other. Lex was incensed when no one in the room moved. Apparently, he had lost his presence with all the stupidity he had to endure in Metropolis. Lex stepped forward and cleared his throat again. This time, four pairs of eyes looked up in surprise. The most precious sight of all was Chloe's guilty flush. He met her gaze with his own unwavering look, reminding her that there were things between them left unresolved. She looked away, settling her attention on the glass of wine before her. It appeared untouched, but Chloe now reached for it and took a deep sip. Lex's eyes narrowed when Lucas took the glass firmly out of Chloe's nervous grip and replaced it on the table, pushing it away so that Chloe would not be able to reach it again. Lucas was not supposed to do those things. If there was anyone in the Luthor family who was supposed to look after her, it was Lex.  
  
Lucas raised his arm and laid it across the back of Chloe's chair, forcing Lex to look back at him. Lex could not be angry with his long-lost brother after all. "Hey Lex. We weren't expecting you."  
  
One of their maids hurried to set another place on the table. When she put the plate across from Lionel, Lex told her to move the place so that he could sit in front of his brother. "Obviously not," Lex replied. "I didn't know you would be entertaining." Mr. Cassidy stood up and shook Lex's hand. Chloe nodded to acknowledge his presence. "Chloe," he said, rolling the name over his tongue.  
  
Lionel became concerned at Chloe's sudden silence. She had been laughing and giggling at Lucas' antics just a little while ago. "Chloe, is everything alright?"  
  
Her too bright smile already told the three Luthor men that she would lie. "Oh definitely." She sneaked a peek at Mr. Cassidy, who appeared engrossed at what was taking place in front of him. Lucas may be a bit out of his mind but he should not be forced to stay with a girl he didn't really want. She closed her hand over Lucas'. "You'll have to bring me home soon. My dad is waiting for me."  
  
Lucas grinned. "That's right. After that mad display I doubt he would trust me to be out so late with you."  
  
Lex etched on to those words. If there was any reason why Gabe Sullivan would not want his daughter hanging around with Lucas, then he had to know it. To his relief, Mr. Cassidy was curious enough to formulate the question. "What display is this?"  
  
"Oh Lucas and I thoughtlessly showed my dad our affection for each other."  
  
"What does that mean?" Lex asked quietly.  
  
She took a deep breath and looked at him squarely. "We kissed."  
  
"That's such a tame way to describe it, Chloe," Lucas protested with a grin. "And here I thought you were more of a sensationalist."  
  
"You think you know so much about her after being in Smallville for a few hours, Lucas?" Lex asked, forcing a light tone in his voice although inside he was seething.  
  
"We've been together since he first came here, Lex," Chloe corrected him. "When you brought him here a few months ago." Lex blinked in confusion. That was news to him. "And we were close enough that we knew a lot about ech other by discovering bits and pieces about our lives. Lucas did not even have to result to files about me."  
  
Lex's brow cleared. That was what pissed her off. He had to remember to thank his father later.  
  
"And Lucas," she continued, and Lex did not meet the softening of her tone, "I do not need to sensationalize that kiss. There are things that do not need embellishment. That was one of those."  
  
The youngest Luthor grabbed at his heart I a mock cardiac arrest. He relesed his breath and chuckled after a few seconds. "Wow. That just sent all the blood in my body rushing to my chest. You have to warn me before saying anything that amazing."  
  
Lex cringed when Chloe smiled and leaned so that Lucas could give her a thank you kiss on the cheek. "Chloe, maybe I can give you a ride home so Lucas can hang around here with dad."  
  
"Oh no, Lex," Lucas and Chloe chorused.  
  
"Can't bear to be parted with each other?" Mr. Cassidy asked snidely.  
  
"Well, Mr. Cassidy, if you were in my place, and you've been deprived of someone you love for months, wouldn't you want to spend as much time as you can with him?"  
  
Chloe injected the right amount of Lana in the flutter of her lashes and the drawl of her voice that even the man capitulated. Mr. Cassidy grinned and shook his head at Lex. "Young love, huh?"  
  
"Yes," Lex agreed. "Unbelievable."  
  
"What's unbelievable about it? You talk like you're not as in love as we are, Lex. But we all know that's not true."  
  
"Chloe, if you've finished, can I see you in private first? I have something I need you to hand to your father tonight."  
  
"Lex," Lionel said, "it's dinner. Forget about work for the time being and just enjoy your meal. Leave Chloe and Lucas alone first."  
  
Lex gritted his teeth. When he had told his father about his engagement to Helen, the older man asked him if the preparations would in any way interfere with schedules meetings. "I need to get this out of the way."  
  
"It's okay, Mr. Luthor," Chloe assured Lionel. "I need to be going anyway so I would prefer it if Lex can hand me whatever it us now."  
  
Chloe pushed her chair back and followed Lex out of the room. When she turned to go to his study, Lex stopped her and escorted her to the deserted living room. "I need to talk to you."  
  
She arched an eyebrow. "I don't see any important files here."  
  
"I don't have files to give to your father," he told her. "If I did, I would hand it to him at the proper place."  
  
"Oh." She kept her face impassive. "Well I should get Lucas and go."  
  
"Chloe!"  
  
"You make my name sound so bad."  
  
"Why are you with my brother?"  
  
"I had a feeling this was what this abrupt meeting will be all about. Look, Lex, I'm not after his money." Although come to think of it, her friendship or whatever warped bond she was forming with the guy was actually borne out of her need for finances to fix the Torch office. "And I'm not after an interview."  
  
Just as he feared. It was love. Or at least a crush. Lucas ma have some sort of rugged bad boy appeal for teenagers but Lex never pegged Chloe to have a crush based on teenage preferences. "Chloe, you're not for someone like Lucas."  
  
"Am I too good for your brother, Lex?"  
  
"No!" he answered quickly. "You know that's not what I mean."  
  
"Do I? Who am I good for then?"  
  
"For a man with responsibility. You're too ambitious and too promising for a boy who loses an entire month's allowance on a card game."  
  
"Now you're telling me your brother is not good enough for me."  
  
"Lucas grew up stealing, lying and cheating. And that's not his fault. But you could do better."  
  
She huffed. "Like a farmboy who doesn't give me the time of day? Or maybe you mean an Ivy League university graduate who has his own business at twenty two. Lex, I'm no Helen Bryce."  
  
Chloe turned on her heel and walked out of the living room, leaving a stunned Lex behind. His jaw hung open and he blinked, trying to remember what exactly happened.  
  
He imagined it was half an hour later when finally, the door swung open and his father walked in. "Well Mr. Cassidy is heading back to LA soon. I've already told him I would look over the contracts he left," Lionel told his son.  
  
Lex shook his head. "Did you know about this?"  
  
"Well Mr. Cassidy-"  
  
"No. This. Lucas and Chloe. Did you know they were seeing each other?"  
  
"I didn't. But it is a rather pleasant surprise, don't you agree?"  
  
"Don't raise your hopes up, dad," Lex said, more to his peace of mind that Lionel's. "They're going to break up."  
  
Lionel nodded and headed out of the living room. On the way out the door, his lips curved into a smirk. "We'll cross our fingers." He felt his son's surprised look boring into his back. "That they'll make it, of course."  
  
tbc 


	5. There's a Shadow

Part 5 There's a Shadow  
Chloe breathed deeply. The night air was refreshing. She was glad that Lucas insisted on letting the top down even if it was brisk out. For someone who was termed irresponsible by his own father, Lucas drove surprisingly more safely than his brother. Despite the observation, Chloe still made sure that her seatbelt was fastened securely across her body.  
  
Lucas switched off the blaring radio that had been playing since they rolled out of the Luthor property. He glanced at the blonde girl beside him and grinned before turning back to the road. "So tell me, Chloe, what was that between you and Lex?"  
  
Chloe raised her eyebrow in question. "Are we going to delve into our private lives now?"  
  
"We should. We're in love, remember?"  
  
She snorted in a rather unlady-like manner. "Mr. Cassidy is leaving tomorrow," Chloe reminded him. "And nothing is going on."  
  
He shook his head. "Please don't forget who you're talking to. I've been able to call so many bluffs since I was a kid that I lived off playing cards for years."  
  
"Your brother is starting to get on my nerves," she told him. "And so are you."  
  
"Don't change the subject," he warned her.  
  
"Fine." Chloe turned her head so that the wind whipped across her face. Soon, her nose began to numb at the cold. "Your dad let slip that Lex has a file on me."  
  
Lucas easily dismissed that. "Lex has a file on everyone, Chloe. He has a file on my dad. He has a file on that farmboy. He has a file on me."  
  
"Well you all exhibit mystery. I, o the other hand, am as open and clean as the. gardener."  
  
Lucas nodded somberly. "Yup. Lex has a file on Mr. Stevens too." He looked at her again, appreciating the pink flushed cheeks and nose against the paleness of her face. "What crawled up your ass when it comes to Lex? You're a reporter right? You of all people should be fine with someone knowing things about you."  
  
"If that is your cute way of telling me that this is what it's like to have a taste of my own medicine, well, it's not."  
  
"I'm hurt." Lucas maneuvered the car around the turn that led to the LuthorCorp housing project. "So what is really wrong?"  
  
Chloe was silent for a moment, giving him directions with her hand until Lucas just had to remind her that he had been there before. Finally, when the car stopped in the Sullivan driveway, Lucas turned to her. Chloe sighed. "Lex doesn't have a high opinion of me."  
  
Lucas was surprised. He and Lex have talked about Chloe Sullivan in passing, her name coming up in their conversations, and Lex never had anything negative to say about the girl. In fact, Lucas detected a hint of admiration for the girl. At the time, Lucas thought that all of Lex's references to the girl's achievements were part of a lesson, Lex's way of telling Lucas that people his age could have ambition, perform better. By the fourth time Lex talked about Chloe's amazing investigations, Lucas supposed that since Lex was a scientist, it was reasonable that he would be impressed with the girl's thirst for knowledge. When the mention of her time came up a tenth time, Lucas just lost interest in branding a relationship name on what Lex had with Chloe. Rather, he just went on with the phone calls, grateful that he had at least some opportunities to keep in constant communication with his brother. "Where did you get that idea?"  
  
"Well I know that your dad didn't mean anything by it, but when you stepped out of the room a while ago, he mentioned something that Lex said."  
  
He should have guessed. Lucas really needed to have a talk with his father. He could not believe that Lionel would make up lies and use them sporadically. "What did he say exactly?"  
  
"Argh!" Chloe groaned in frustration. "I can't even remember the exact words because I just saw red. Let me tell you. It was so hard to pretend I was enjoying having dinner with you."  
  
"Well thanks for that." Lucas grinned lopsidedly.  
  
"I didn't mean it that way."  
  
"Sure. Go on."  
  
"Well Mr. Luthor mentioned something about how Lex is thankful that he found Dr. Bryce because unlike other women who've been hanging around him, Lex was sure that Dr. Bryce won't be after his money because she came from a well-to-do family, that Dr. Bryce is educated and prim and proper, that Dr. Bryce is from the same kind of people he is-" With each word, Chloe's cheeks grew redder and she became increasingly incensed.  
  
Lucas decided to butt in. "So you don't remember what dad said, huh?"  
  
She looked at Lucas in surprise. Seeing his amusement made her flush. "Ah shut your trap!"  
  
"Why do you insist on wounding me?"  
  
"Well you have to excuse me because I'm a hurt woman."  
  
"Chloe."  
  
"What?"  
  
"What makes you think that if Lex said that, and I'm not saying he did because I know enough by now never to trust a syllable out of my father's mouth, he was referring to you?"  
  
Chloe met his stare and swallowed. The flush in her cheeks evaporated, leaving her face blanched. "Ummm. Well. I was just-Well I'm the only other woman he's been hanging around with!"  
  
Lucas grinned. "What about Lana Lang?"  
  
"Lex would never say anything bad about Lana Lang."  
  
"But he would about you? Aren't you being unfair to him?"  
  
Frustrated because Lucas made her doubt the reason for the anger that had been sustaining her since the start of dinner, Chloe pushed open her door and stepped out. "Oh what do you know!"  
  
Lucas shoulders started shaking. He pushed his own door open with the full intention of walking Chloe to the door. Maybe his father was right about this entire charade. Lucas may have come on board for the fifty thousand he was promised, but this was fast giving him another meaning. He saw Chloe standing at the side, waiting for him despite her irritation. She must have recovered her bearings because now, she found enough humor in the situation that she was able to smile at him.  
  
Behind her, from the corner that they rounded, a compact black car roared and sped towards them. "Someone's in a hurry," he said casually. When Chloe turned around to look at whom of her neighbors was disturbing the peace, the car swerved and careened straight towards them. Lucas's gaze widened and he grabbed Chloe by the waist and threw their bodies out of the way. They hit the grass with a loud thud. The black car hit his convertible. Upon hearing the shattering crash, he rolled them over and away. He felt the sting of the broken glass spraying on them. He heard Chloe gasp in pain, but he was more focused on getting them away from the two cars that screeched on the street.  
  
"Close your eyes," he hissed, clutching her close to his chest as he kept rolling them. He felt the impact when they hit the pavement.  
  
The twisted metal dragged down the street, the static causing red sparks to fly. When the screeching groaned into a halt, Lucas looked down at Chloe. Her eyes were tightly shut and she bit her bottom lip until it was white. "Chloe, it's over."  
  
She shook her head. From the edges of her eyelids, he saw the moisture seeping out. He swallowed at the sight. Lucas glanced at the black car and had no doubt that the driver was dead. The girl underneath him was trembling. Gabe Sullivan came running out of the house.  
  
"What happened?" the older man yelled. He rushed over to where Lucas and Chloe were lying on the street. Gabe fell onto his knees and touched his daughter tentatively on the shoulder.  
  
Lucas took in her appearance. She was bleeding where the shards of glass cut her. He could see the abrasions on her arms. When Gabe took her into his arms, Lucas noted the tremor racking her body and knew that she was in shock. "@#%$," he muttered.  
  
"Who was that maniac!" Gabe exclaimed, even though he did not need to know the name. All he needed was to calm his daughter. The older man looked at Lucas again and by the look on his face, Lucas figured that he probably looked as injured as his daughter.  
  
"Don't rub her arms yet," Lucas cautioned. Although it would have been best to get her out of shock, the glass could be lodged deeper.  
  
"You two need to be taken to the hospital."  
  
"I'm going to call an ambulance."  
  
Gabe shook his head. "No. You help Chloe up and I'll run inside and get my car keys."  
  
When Gabe vanished into the house, Lucas looked around the area where they rolled and saw the small mobile phone where it had fallen from his pocket. He went over to pick it up and helped Chloe stand up. Since her knees were weak, she rested heavily on Lucas. "I'll be okay," she whispered. "Give me ten years."  
  
The words made him smile, because it meant that she was quickly recovering. Gabe came out and opened the door of his car. He took his daughter from Lucas and helped her into the car. Lucas turned away and quickly dialed his father's number. "We have to stop this."  
  
"Lucas, did you tell your family to meet you in the hospital?" Gabe asked.  
  
Lucas responded, "Just telling them, Mr. Sullivan." He spoke quietly into the phone. "Heard that, dad? Meet us in the hospital. I can't believe we involved Chloe in this." 


	6. Lionel's Plot

Thanks for the reply, guys. You're the best. The Lucas and Lex poll from the readers are now up to Lex=80% and Lucas 20%. (  
  
Part 6 Lionel's Plot  
  
He would not have even known that his brother was in the hospital had it not been for the head of security knocking on his study door to inform him that Lionel Luthor had requested an escort to Smallville General for the night. Even though he was a little irritated with his father for allowing Chloe and Lucas to be so close in the several hours he was away, Lex was still concerned about the circumstances that would cause his father to make an impromptu visit to the hospital.  
  
Lex placed his brandy glass on the desk and inserted a golden page marker in the book he was reading. Telling the head of security to have two men prepared to come with him and his father to the hospital, Lex strode out of the study and looked for his father. He found the old man pacing just a few feet away from the door.  
  
"What's going on, dad?" he demanded. "Is everything all right?"  
  
Lionel's flushed face betrayed a second of guilt and fear before he covered it up. The expression was so quick that Lex almost did not catch it. But he had forced himself for years to learn every change in Lionel's demeanor that Lex managed to register those emotions. "There was an accident. I need to go see Lucas in the emergency room."  
  
"What?" Lex's concern immediately transferred to his brother. Lucas may have unknowingly stepped into Lex Luthor's territory, but he was still Lex's brother. "What happened?" He froze, realizing whom Lucas left the house with. "Was she with Miss Sullivan?"  
  
"Yes." The two guards that Lex had requested met them at the door and led the two Luthor men to the car. At the back of the limo, Lionel continued, "They were standing outside the Sullivan house when a car went out of control and almost hit them. Thankfully, your brother had the presence of mind to roll them out of harm's way."  
  
"Chloe. Was Chloe hurt?"  
  
"Abrasions, minor lacerations from glass. A few bruises. Shock," Lionel enumerated. "She's no worse than Lucas."  
  
"Was the driver apprehended?"  
  
Lionel shook his head. "The driver was killed on impact with Lucas' parked car."  
  
For the rest of the brief drive, Lex busied himself with his phone, calling his head of security to procure information on the dead man, contacting Gabe Sullivan's line which remained unreachable, and telling Clark about the accident because the boy would not forgive him if he learned that Lex did not inform him that something happened to his friend. When the limousine stopped in front of the hospital entrance, Lex stepped out of the car and walked briskly to the emergency room.  
  
Before he could approach the triage nurse working on the information desk, he head his brother's familiar voice call him. "Lex! Over here."  
  
He turned around and saw his brother, bare from the waist up, sitting on one of the plastic chairs, being attended by a young nurse who was cleaning his cuts. Lucas did not show any hint of pain, did not even wince at the sting of the disinfectant dabbed on his open wound. Lex sat on a chair beside his brother's, wondering why he was not even taken to a private portion of the emergency room, isolated even by the curtain so he would not have an audience. Lucas answered his silent question. "There was only one spot available and I thought Chloe could use the anonymity."  
  
Lex nodded. At least Lucas had that much sense in him. He was relieved to find his brother apparently well, but he could still not help but blame him for the accident. Chloe would not have been hurt if she were not seeing Lucas and having dinner with him that night. His brain knew that Lucas had nothing to do with a probably very drunk driver losing control of his car in the middle of the night, but his heart protested that he would been responsible enough to keep Chloe from a mess like that had he been the one with her at the time. "How is she doing?"  
  
"She's fine now. Her father is with her. You can peep inside those curtains. But you better tell them you're going to peek first. I tried to earlier but she was changing into a hospital gown so I got pushed away. I can't tell you how bad that went for my glass-embedded butt."  
  
Lex looked sharply at his grinning brother. Lucas simply did not recognize the gravity of the situation. One or both of them could have been killed tonight. "Lucas, you could have been. more responsible." Before Lucas could protest, Lex raised his hand to silence him. "I know this was in no way your fault. But I think that you and Chloe should rethink your decision to be together."  
  
The nurse started digging out the glass from an especially deep cut at his back. Lucas hissed for a moment, the only sign that he was undergoing what was technically a minor surgery out in the open. "Are you saying that because of the accident or because. Ouch. she's not good enough for us?"  
  
The comment drew Lex's eyebrows together and before he could control himself, he gripped Lucas forearm, making the young man squeeze his eyes closed. "Mr. Luthor, don't!" Lex dropped Lucas' arm and muttered a quick apology.  
  
"It's fine," Lucas moaned. At least the quick reaction was most likely genuine. Instant reflex could often be trusted as guileless, he knew, although it hurt like a b!tch scorned by man who opted for a s-lut instead. "Man, for a pencil-pusher, you have a tight grip!"  
  
"I don't know where you got that idea about Chloe. Probably from dad," he said after a second of thought. "But don't let her hear you say that aloud. And for heaven's sake, Lucas, if that's what you believe then stop dating her before you hurt yourself."  
  
"Don't you mean hurt her?"  
  
"No. Hurt yourself. Believe me, you're the one who's going to be in excruciating physical pain if you even so much as suggest that to Chloe."  
  
Lucas smirked. "You know this from experience?"  
  
"I've not been that lucky yet," Lex answered with a small smile. "Look. Chloe needs someone who's responsible enough to be the man she deserves, not a boy playing at being wild, taunting his father because he has abandonment issues and dissipating his fifteen grand just because he finally has the resources to be able to."  
  
"Woah Lex," Lucas interrupted. "Don't be too rash. In my defense, I was cheated. I knew he had only three cards left. He dropped one and showed us two. Tell me, where did the last ace come from? Huh? I was robbed!"  
  
Lex took a deep calming breath. "I don't believe you, Lucas!"  
  
"I can give you evidence. Brown Jeff can testify."  
  
"Lucas!" Lex said sharply. "I don't care if you were cheated. That is beside the point. You can't tell Chloe that when you come home to her one day when the bills have to be paid, your kid needs formula and she's hungry because you have nothing left in your pocket but an IOU from Red Jim."  
  
"That's Brown Jeff and it's a testimony." Lex narrowed his eyes at his brother in supreme irritation. He could not imagine why Lucas was suddenly grinning like an idiot. "Lex, this is the second time I've actually been with Chloe. What makes you think the relationship is even getting that far?"  
  
"If you can't see a future with her I don't think you should be-"  
  
"Yeah, Lex," Lucas told him. "I got the instruction the first time. Not a Harvard grad." Lucas pointed to himself. "But d-amn smart, surprisingly enough."  
  
"I'm just saying that Chloe has enough issues of her own. Don't give her crap to worry about."  
  
"And she deserves a responsible guy. Not like Lucas. How should I be, Lex? Like you?"  
  
"It wouldn't hurt to have direction in life," Lex said stiffly.  
  
Lucas sighed and thanked the nurse who was only then finishing bandaging the bigger wounds on his torso. From a moment, Lex thought that he got through to his brother, and that Lucas was taking note of his advice. "Well I think, Lex, that it may be just a bit more fun to be poor with Chloe than to be rich and sinfully boring with that woman." Lex turned around and looked at the direction that his brother was nodding towards. He saw his fiancé at the nurse station going over a chart and signing some release papers. He turned back towards his brother, not possessed by the same urge to shake him as he was when Lucas asked if Chloe were not good enough.  
  
"Ah. I see that you've introduced Lucas to your fiancé, Lex."  
  
Both Luthor sons turned to see their father walking towards them. "What took you so long, dad?" Lex asked.  
  
"Well aside from the fact that I did not come running in here the moment we stopped, I also went to have a brief talk with Gabe about the situation."  
  
"How's Chloe?"  
  
"Looking better than Lucas," the older man informed his sons. "She would like to thank you personally for your quick thinking though, son."  
  
Lucas nodded and stood from his chair. He shrugged on his discarded shirt. "I'll go see her. And Lex, responsible or not, you're not going to be a better choice than I am because at the rate that you're going, you'd have her asleep with all your concerns about her issues and your preoccupation with work. It's one thing to have a guy who wants secure future and another to have a man who's every thought is on making more money." Lucas qualified his statement at once. "But you know, I have no idea what Dr. Helen there wants in a man. So if that's what works for you two, go ahead. Work and worry your ass off. Me and Chloe, we're young and we're about what's fun and feels good." He turned to Lionel. "Right dad?"  
  
Lionel's lips curved. His younger son was turning out to be more like him than Lex would ever be. "Let me walk with you to the Sullivans, son. Lex, I assume you want to talk to Dr. Bryce? We'll meet you in the limo."  
  
Lionel and Lucas left Lex to his own devices. Out of Lex's earshot, Lucas muttered, "This was a bad idea, dad."  
  
"Is it working, Lucas?"  
  
"You saw his face. It's working better and faster than we thought it would."  
  
"Anything successful, son, is never a bad idea."  
  
"Chloe was almost killed!"  
  
"Well it was not part of the plan to have those people after you in Edge City to find you here." Lionel thought for a moment. "Although since Lex took you here the first time, they probably had people watching Smallville for any sign of your return."  
  
"Maybe Chloe and I should stop seeing each other," Lucas thought aloud.  
  
"No," Lionel immediately asserted. "She has to be my daughter-in-law."  
  
"I would say that the way you've taken to her is scary if I had not met her yet. But come on, dad, you can't have been fooled by your own plotting. You're not that old."  
  
"Lucas, if I did not need you for this one, I would have had you killed already," Lionel told his son affectionately. "But you can't stop seeing Chloe. Lex has to think that you two are still seeing each other. Don't let me have that Dr. Bryce as my daughter-in-law, Lucas. I can't think of anyone else in Smallville, in Kansas-" His thoughts went to Lex's former girlfriends. "Not in the entire United States or even Great Britain, who can fill the role of a Luthor quite as well as this girl can."  
  
"Dad, you are a frightening man."  
  
"Thank you."  
  
"But you said so yourself, the plan is working well. I can break up with Chloe and remove her from some sort of target list."  
  
Before they reached the section of the emergency room where Chloe was waiting to be released, Lucas caught sight of his brother's shiny head moving to the Information Desk. He turned and saw Lex talk briefly with Dr. Bryce. They moved to the side of the room, their heads bent low in quiet conversation.  
  
"Hey dad. Your favorite daughter-in-law looks pissed. You told me she's impassive. It doesn't look like it from my perspective."  
  
Lionel turned to watch the scene playing before them. His heart rose to his throat as he choked on his own sentiment. There was that apologetic look in Lex's eyes as he spoke to the doctor that told Lionel that the wish that he had been giving to charities for was getting fulfilled. Helen Bryce moved from confused to angry to annoyed to shocked. If this were actually going to happen, he would shampoo his hair. He had been suffering through the messy and dingy derelict look in the hopes of scaring Helen Bryce away from his family. Now he might not need to keep it up.  
  
Lionel Luthor, who had never shed a tear since that one moment inside the privacy of his bedroom, when he sat in the bed that his wife's body was taken away from just half an hour previously, started to well up in tears at the sight of Helen Bryce sliding the diamond engagement ring from her finger and slapping it on Lex's palm. He involuntarily gripped Lucas' arm, causing the youngest Luthor to squirm. "Lucas, this is the proudest moment of my life."  
  
"I thought it was when I agreed to play Lex for fifty grand?"  
  
"This just surpassed that by a notch."  
  
"Who do I have to betray next to get the honors of giving you your proudest moment?" Lionel did not answer. He tearfully watched the angry exchange between his son and the doctor. "You know, dad, it was my hard-hitting analogy that got Lex that far. If I hadn't given him that contrast between poor me and rich him, he would not even reanalyze that relationship."  
  
Lionel held up a finger. "Shhhhh. Let's keep the memory pure, Lucas." 


	7. Chloe Come Join Us

Part 7 Chloe Come Join Us  
  
"Lex, seriously, I do not feel comfortable letting you look inside the bandages!"  
  
Chloe's face was florid with embarrassment. Lex had been offering to check on her cuts and change the bandages for her since he arrived three hours ago. His presence in her house was unexpected and she asked him what he was doing there. He told her that he had decided to hang around with her since she was home from school. When she handed him a glass of juice, she arched her eyebrow at him and asked, "Are you keeping me company because you want to pretend you're my brother already?"  
  
He spit the juice back out of his mouth so quickly some of it may have gotten blown from his nose had it been something he would do. Lex remembered Lucas' comment about not being fun and he wished for once he did the disgusting action. "Chloe, I have no intention of pretending that I'm your brother."  
  
"Good," she decided. "That would have been so wrong."  
  
Lex moved from his position on the couch so that she could settle beside him. He leaned close and asked, "Why, Chloe? Tell me why it would be wrong."  
  
The caress in his voice almost sent her running away before she melted right there. Before Lucas arrived, Lex had been the sexiest man in Smallville, with no one coming a close second. Lucas' arrival placed him neatly on the second spot, but Lex had always been, to Chloe Sullivan, the most pleasurable combination of intelligence and attractiveness that never failed to magnetize her. She swallowed and refrained herself from jumping on him and taking advantage of him. She also pushed away that niggling urge to ask him why he was suddenly emanating flirtation vibes that was almost unmistakable. The only thing telling her that there was nothing flirty going on was that this was Lex Luthor and she was Chloe. "Well I don't think Lucas and I are moving in that direction. We're not even getting that far."  
  
So for the past three hours they have been surfing channels on the television. Their eyes were tired and Chloe's were almost crossed. "Now would you tell me why you're here and not at the mansion?" She yawned.  
  
Lex considered the question for a moment. Did he really come off no nonsense, enough of a stick in the mud for her not to believe that he wanted to hang around her? They had been spending enough time together before he left for Metropolis. He had succeeded in making it appear that he was spending time with her because she happened to be there when he needed to talk to Clark or to Lana. He was only glad that she never knew that he carefully timed his occasions of free times to the exact free times of her schedule. Nobody knew he was fascinated with her because he never said it aloud. Even to himself, he hadn't admitted it, only owning up that he was amazed with the way her mind took leaps and bounds. "You don't believe that I want to spend time with you."  
  
She blinked blearily for a few seconds and then grinned. "This is my house, Lex. You can't run into Clark here. You can ask Lana about the Talon, but I doubt she'll be home until eight tonight. There's an open mic night."  
  
"Dad and Lucas are meeting. I think they're hiding something from me."  
  
Chloe had quickly changed the subject because until now, she had not had the chance to tell Lex that Lucas had been pulling his leg all along. She did not want Lex to think that she was actually seeing Lucas. Talking to her 'boyfriend' last night, she got him to agree that they should tell Lex the truth. Chloe did not want Lex thinking that she became her brother's girlfriend because it would be too weird if, and only if, they happened to find out that they liked each other. At the though, Chloe's grin turned lopsided. A girl could wish. After all, with Lex here, Lionel's words were disproved. She only wondered why Lionel Luthor would make up lies about his son.  
  
Come to think of it, whatever Lionel told her did not translate to what she thought it did. Lucas was right. Lex never mentioned anything about her.  
  
And that just offended her. Why had Lex not mentioned her when they been spending days on end together?  
  
And she was doing it again. Dang.  
  
She really had to tell him the truth. Now.  
  
"The thing that irks me," he was saying, and she focused on his lips forming the words, "is that the two of them are conspiring against me. After everything I've done for Lucas, and after all those years I've tried proving to my dad that I'm worth something, they're lying to me."  
  
Chloe's jaw dropped and she almost gasped. Was Lex Luthor opening up to her? What was wrong with him? She scooted closer to him on the couch. Suddenly, her senses peaked. Every pore of his skin emanated warmth that she felt on her own skin. Her gaze flew up to meet his unwavering one. Lex had amazingly blue eyes. They were almost gray. The color showed her the storm inside him so clearly that she could not help but reach up and cup his cheek. Her thumb brushed the smoothness of his chin. She was assailed by the scent of musk and Lex. His closed lips were moist with his frustration. Chloe swallowed deeply and leaned towards him, for the moment pushing away thoughts of Lucas and Lionel, Clark and Pete, even her dad. Right now Lex Luthor was as close to her as he had been in her most secret fantasies, telling her things he never said even in her wildest imagination. Her eyelids fluttered closed. She carefully placed her lips on his, and he kissed her fiercely in return. He tasted like Lex. Lex tasted like. alcohol.  
  
Her eyes shot open and with her lips still fused with Lex's, she met his gaze again. Her eyes almost crossed at the proximity. Chloe tried to push away. His arms came up around her and tightened. "Lex," she protested. When she finally got free, Lex leaned his head back on the couch. "You. Are. Drunk!" she said in an increasingly high pitch voice. "You're drunk. Right. Now." No wonder he was prepared to bare his heart and soul.  
  
Chloe collapsed right beside him on the couch, feeling foul and cheated. Was she destined to have the Luthor she found hot yet never attracted her beyond a very appreciative friend? Even that relationship was a goner.  
  
"I can't believe this," she muttered. "Right when it was getting good." Chloe looked at Lex again, whose eyes were not closed. He was breathing evenly and it appeared that he was asleep. "Lex Luthor, I hope you're a forgetful drunk." Chloe sighed, remembering how she kissed him. "I took advantage of a drunken man. I am repulsive."  
  
"You're not repulsive," Lex breathed.  
  
Chloe's head snapped back towards him. "What?" she prompted softly.  
  
"Chloe." He smiled in his sleep. Chloe did too. "You're hhhhot."  
  
"Go to sleep."  
  
Lex smiled in answer. Chloe waited a few minutes to assure himself that Lex really did fall asleep already. Then, stifling her squeal of mixed excitement and embarrassment, Chloe snatched the phone from its cradle and hurried to the kitchen. She swiftly dialed the number from memory.  
  
"What."  
  
"Fantastic greeting," she responded. "What is your brother doing on my couch, drunk as a. insert some appropriate metaphor here because I am all out."  
  
"The bastard!" Lucas exclaimed, starting to chuckle. "He got wasted and went to your house? He really needs to stretch his summa cum laude ass to practical things."  
  
"Lucas, you are technically the bastard," she could not help pointing out.  
  
"Trivial matter," he answered with a pleased grin. "Lex is still insane."  
  
"I don't really have much interest about the ten ways you can insult your brother. I want to know why he's drunk."  
  
"He probably drank too much and then drove there," he told her matter-of- factly. "It's something I would have to take up with him. Or maybe you can," he suggested. "You'll have the ace when you start crying. Tell him you don't feel comfortable about his drunk driving when you just had a brush with death involving a reckless driver."  
  
Chloe scrunched up her face with disgust. "Will you or will you not tell me Lex's problem?"  
  
"Lex and the doctor terminated their engagement last night while we were in the hospital."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"Best decision he ever made since he decided to finance my high life."  
  
"Thank you, Lucas," she said with finality, fully intending to put down the phone.  
  
"All right, dear. I love you too. And be home for dinner tonight, okay? I'm making pasta and chicken."  
  
Chloe turned off the phone. She went to the refrigerator and poured herself a glass of juice. She waited a few minutes before returning to the living room. Now, Lex was lying halfway. She sincerely hoped he would forget the way she jumped him.  
  
Chloe sat on an armchair and turned on the television, making sure the volume was low enough that he would not be disturbed. He had expressed his dislike of lies and deception. How was she going to tell him that there was nothing between herself and her brother, that she decided to go along with the story because Lucas asked her to? Around four shows later, she still could not formulate a correct way of telling him.  
  
"What time is it?"  
  
She jumped on her seat and looked at her guest, who was now sitting up and rubbing his eyes. "Four."  
  
"Wow. I slept a long time." She nodded. "Look, Chloe."  
  
She braced herself for his words. He would tell her she had no interest in her and that she may have had the wrong impression when she kissed him.  
  
"I'm sorry I went out like that. I guess I had a bit too much to drink."  
  
He did not remember. She flashed him a smile brilliant enough to shame the sun. Now he was sober and ignorant of what transpired earlier. "No, no! It was fine. I understand. Lucas told me you broke up with Dr. Bryce. Are you all right?"  
  
Lex stared at her for a long while, thinking about the answer for the first time. "I am," he told her. "I really am. Turns out she's not the woman for me. There are other people who would better suit me, you know. Someone who can give me balance."  
  
"Lucas and I broke up this morning too," she suddenly spoke up. The moment the words left her lips, she realized the driving force behind them. She did not want Lex to start considering other options for women who can balance him while she's attached to someone in his mind. The reason for the outburst about not being good enough, the way she was incensed that he had a file on her, the way she acted coldly when he came home being demanding and distant, fell clearly in place.  
  
"You did. How are you doing?"  
  
Chloe smiled, trying to make it look like she was putting on a brave front. Inside her heart was palpitating. She was so unused to the lie. She needed Lionel to teach him how to do this without breaking into a sweat. What would Lionel Luthor say if he found out that after he helped her fix the Torch office, here she was lusting after his son, making up lies to get his attention? He would think she was the worst ingrate of all.  
  
She sighed and allowed her gaze to drift away partly to show sadness and partly because she could not look him in the eye so long and not burst with the truth. To her utter delight, Lex took her arm and pulled her into his comforting embrace. She almost groaned in pleasure.  
  
'Luthor, you are going to hell,' she scolded herself, shocking her into a choking fit. 'Luthor? Luthor?' She wondered how many years of community service she should impose upon herself for that double whammy.  
  
"What was an intelligent girl like you doing with him anyway?" he asked, rubbing a hand in circles on her back.  
  
Chloe buried her face into his shirt, sniffing all she could of him and preserving the scent in her memory. It was the perfect opening to tell him that she was with Lucas because h asked her to help him out. "Waiting, I guess," she said into his skin. 'To hell, CHLOE. To hell.'  
  
"For the perfect man?" Again, she nodded. "What should he be?"  
  
'You.' She opted for a subtler yet sure answer. "He has to balance me."  
  
She saw Lex's jaw physically tense at her words. Lex stood from the couch and walked over to her. He held his hand out to her and waited until she took it. Lex pulled her up to her feet. "You kissed me," he said.  
  
Chloe blinked. He remembered. Should she be apologizing? Before she could decide, he grabbed her arms and kissed her, this time there was no way he could forget it. 


	8. Counter Offer

Part 8 Counter Offer  
  
Lex tore open the packet of coffee easily. Picking up the box, he read the label and nodded in approval. He poured the power into the cup and poured the water he had boiled over the stove. He had never had instant coffee before, and he had to admit that despite the lack of richness, he might try it again if only for convenience.  
  
Taking the cup with him to the living room where Chloe was sprawled after sleepily informing him that she was still on painkillers, Lex set it down on the coffee table and gingerly sat on the edge of the couch. He reached for the bandage covering her arms and tugged part of it off. The cuts were healing cleanly. Lex took the blue jar sitting beside his coffee and read the label.  
  
Lex unscrewed the cap and dipped his fingers into the filmy substance before inspecting the bare parts of her skin for bruises. He rubbed the balm on each one exposed to him. Satisfied with his work, he took a card from his wallet and scrawled a quick note, leaving it on the table and kissing her goodbye on the forehead.  
  
He had never felt as light as he did on the ride to the manor. As he got nearer to the house, the lightness in his heart started to fade as he thought of facing his brother. The guilt sank in at the thought of Lucas. Lucas obviously liked Chloe a lot. He would not have introduced her to their father if he was playing her. Chloe admitted herself that she and Lucas only just broke up. It was probably because of that threat to Lucas' life that was almost carried out successfully. Would he feel right taking Chloe from Lucas who may not yet be over her? And was Chloe really not interested in Lucas anymore or did she break it off with him because of the incident? If she were, Lex realized it would take a lot of hard work keeping her with the animus against him.  
  
Maybe it would be better to cut the relationship off before it even truly started. The exact moment the thought occurred to him he rejected it. Lex wanted to be with this girl Lucas was a big boy and he had to learn to accept the often harsh blows the real world can deal. A niggling voice at the back of his mind protested that if Lucas had to go through those, it should not be because his brother took his girlfriend away.  
  
As for Chloe, well Lex resolved that he would just assure her that he could take better care of her than Lucas could, and keep her eyes glued to her every movement. All in all, it would not be such a bad deal.  
  
By the time he parked outside the castle, Lex was forced to watch his step so that neither Lucas nor his father would suspect that something happened. When he turned the corridor leading to his study, he heard voices coming from the open door of Lionel's temporary office. Lex pushed the door discreetly and listened in to the conversation of the other two Luthors.  
  
"So you actually believe that if the head cocks to the side, there'd be a crack?"  
  
"The column of the spine will shatter," Lionel confirmed. "Just look at how stiff the neck is held. The organism will die."  
  
Lex frowned. What possible topic would call for those observations? He pushed the door open wider, causing the two occupants of the room to turn towards him.  
  
"Hey Lex! Lucas greeted enthusiastically.  
  
Lex swallowed and kept his attention on his father. Not two seconds later, he knew he made the wrong choice when Lionel arched an eyebrow at him. His father could read the expression on an ant's face. Lex tightened his jaw at the scrutinizing manner with which his father regarded him. "What were you talking about?"  
  
"Oh nothing really."  
  
Lex could see the small screen behind his father, the one that the two had been watching earlier, even though Lucas stood in front of it.  
  
"Helen Bryce is waiting in your office."  
  
His eyes darted back to the screen and discerned the familiar furnishings of his office. Lex narrowed his eyes at the two. "I would appreciate it if you could turn off the surveillance, dad."  
  
"Of course, Lex. We were only trying to relax."  
  
Lex shook his head and left the room to face another horror, that of a former fiance's wrath. He had to be strong for this confrontation or else there would not be much else he could do, especially since he would need to at least tough up in order to speak with Lucas about certain developments in his relationship with the young woman that Lionel had already accepted as the newest Luthor.  
  
Vaguely he wondered if Lucas already informed his father that he and Chloe were broken up. It did seem to him the day before that his father so easily accepted that Lucas had become responsible enough to be a Luthor son when he was certain that the young man was under the influence of a reliable woman.  
  
Helen must have sensed his presence because she waved him in. He watched her warily as she smiled in welcome. She had been pretty pissed when he reneged on the engagement.  
  
"Did you need anything, Helen?"  
  
The doctor nodded. "I was reading some charts earlier, and while I was trying to outline a patient's medical history-"  
  
"Helen."  
  
She looked back at Lex with suspiciously bright eyes. "Yes. Well I thought of something we never got around to answering. We were, after all, focused on other aspects of the night." He waited for her to continue. "Why exactly couldn't you go through with it, Lex? We didn't have a problem before. Our entire relationship was satisfactory, wasn't it?"  
  
"Yes, Helen. It was satisfactory."  
  
"Then what was the problem, Lex?"  
  
"That it was satisfactory," he answered simply. "I'd thought I would be satisfied with satisfactory."  
  
"You don't understand then. Lex, don't tell me you're now waiting for a grand passion. You are not naïve. Sometimes people marry when it's the right time, with a good person." Helen sighed. "What changed your mind?"  
  
"When Lucas and Chloe were in the hospital, and I had no idea about their condition, I panicked."  
  
"Your brother and his girlfriend, Lex. I'd say you were allowed."  
  
Lex picked up Helen's hand and squeezed it. "Now you don't understand, Helen. I was paralyzed. Do you know how many hours I've spent with Lucas since I found out about him?" She shook her head. "Twelve hours. There was the ten we were together the first time, and the two that night before he took Chloe home. Twelve hours, Helen. Half a day. I may care about my brother, Helen, but not enough to be paralyzed by fear when he gets hurt. Not yet."  
  
She pulled her hand away carefully.  
  
Lex continued, "I can't marry you when I feel this way about someone else."  
  
"It's not a big deal," she said urgently. "She's with Lucas. We can forget about it."  
  
A smile flitted over his lips. "Chloe is with me now."  
  
"Ah!" Helen stepped back. "Are you crazy, Lex?  
  
"She and Lucas broke up after the accident."  
  
"And you're with her already? How much of a slut are you?"  
  
"I know you must be surprised, Helen."  
  
"Your brother will despise you. They should still have at least two months to resolve whatever issues they have, and resolve it they would have because this was in no way Lucas' fault. How can you be with her already?"  
  
"Leave it, Helen."  
  
"What kind of relationship will you have?"  
  
"We've been friends for a year. Acquaintances. All I know is that I am more than comfortable with Chloe."  
  
"You'll hurt her."  
  
"I care about the girl."  
  
"Precisely. Do you want me to tell you exactly how many times you've told me you cared about me?"  
  
~~  
  
Chloe tapped on the table a steady rhythm with fingers. She had been waiting for Lex for an hour. He had never been the type to be late for appointment before. She knew this from being Clark's confidante for a few years. She took the card he had left and read the note scrawled at the back to make sure. 'Couldn't wake you, gorgeous. Meet me at the Talon nine pm.' Since Lana usually closed at ten, and because she was fairly certain that Lex would not want to have the conversation there, she had supposed that he would merely swing by to pick her up.  
  
"Hey Chloe. What do you have there?"  
  
"Clark!" She slipped the card back into her pocket. "Why are you here so late?"  
  
He had that charming grin which balanced nicely with the blush that spread over his face. "I'm here to help Lana close up. But I believe I asked you first. Aren't you supposed to be resting?"  
  
"I just rested," she informed him. "Thought I'd get some coffee before heading home. I would have gone to the Torch but the school's closed."  
  
Clark shook his head. "You never rest, do you?"  
  
"We rest when we die. With all the freaks in Smallville, that's not going to be too long."  
  
"Hey!" he exclaimed, only then remembering. "You were in a car accident with Lucas."  
  
"Is that how news is disseminated when I'm out of duty?" she asked. "Looks like a lot of people have perfected tabloid journalism. And they accuse me of sensationalism. No, Clark. We saw a speeding car crash. We're fine. Minor cuts and bruises." She raised her arm to show him the small bandages.  
  
"I'm glad you're okay," he said sincerely. Clark took a seat in front of her. "Is it also hype or are you and Lucas Luthor dating?"  
  
"We're not dating, Clark."  
  
"I knew Pete was exaggerating. You didn't even kiss right here in the coffeeshop, did you?"  
  
"Well, Clark, we did."  
  
"What?!"  
  
"You look a little red, Clark. Is that Lana calling you?" When he turned to look at the counter, where the brunette was definitely waving him over, Chloe slipped away silently. She reached the street and whipped out her cellphone. "Come on, Lex. Answer. Lex! Where are you? What do you mean?" Her jaw fell open in surprise. Chloe's eyes narrowed when she heard the click of his end hanging up.  
  
Again, she dialed a few numbers. "Luthor."  
  
"You've perfected the family curt hello in a couple of days. I'm proud of you!"  
  
"Well thanks, ex. What can I do for you?"  
  
"Do you have a new car or not?"  
  
"I don't. I was given a second hard car in the meantime though. Lex's one week old Porsche. Need a ride?"  
  
"I need a ride and I have a proposition for you."  
  
There was a pause at the other end of the line. "I would not need to kill anyone, do I? I kinda like the cushy life here now. I don't want to do time yet."  
  
"No killing will be done by you. If there's an opening to kill your brother, I want the satisfaction," she replied.  
  
"Ah, it's about Lex. Where are you?"  
  
"Outside the Talon," she told him, almost pitifully.  
  
"I'll be in five." And Chloe knew that he was not kidding.  
  
"Make it four and I'll give you a kiss."  
  
"You got it, kid. I'll be the one in the red Porsche. I'm already halfway there."  
  
"Lucas, you'll be the only one in a Porsche."  
  
"Not unless Lex takes his."  
  
Chloe cringed and informed him, "The Talon is the last place your brother will be going near to tonight."  
  
He heard the bitterness in her voice. "What makes you think that?"  
  
"Because he asked to see me here an hour ago."  
  
Lucas did not answer. Chloe heard the phone gets tossed down on the seat and looked up to see the savvy red Porsche slowing down in front of her. "Ouch," he commented, referring to her revelation. "Three minutes. Hop in. You owe me two kisses."  
  
She opened the door and slid into the seat. She leaned towards him and gave him a chaste kiss on each cheek. From the corner of her eye, she saw Lana and Clark step out of the coffeehouse. Clark appeared upset seeing her with Lucas after she denied being the guy's girlfriend. Lana had the same expression on her face that she did when she first saw the two kiss.  
  
Chloe shook her head as Lucas turned the bend leading to Main. Sometimes, she thought that Lana Lang had only four expressions that alternated for different events-dreamy, scared, happy, and that furrowing of brow that she passed off as either sad or angry.  
  
"Care to tell me what prompted the late night call for a knight in designer armor?" Lucas asked.  
  
"The proposition."  
  
"I'm all for indecent proposals. What ya got for me?"  
  
"Lucas, I need you to help me make Lex jealous."  
  
Hearing the words tumble from her mouth, Lucas swerved. Chloe shrieked. She wanted to hit him but he was already driving haphazardly. Lucas started chuckling, his shoulders shaking with hilarity. "I thought you told him we were never going out."  
  
"Actually," she corrected, "I told him we were no longer going out."  
  
He arched a superior thick eyebrow. "What happened to the honesty thing you had going?"  
  
"Well he was going on about how he thought you and his dad were up to something. He's paranoid. I didn't want to have to increase the paranoia by informing him that we've been playing him."  
  
"So you decided to lie to him instead. That would do wonders to his confidence on people," he noted, his eyes still on the road.  
  
"Wow, Mr. Clean, I didn't realize you were in Smallville!" Chloe quipped.  
  
"So what do I get in return?" he asked. "I should get paid for services rendered."  
  
"I played your girlfriend to save your ass!"  
  
"My father was technically paying you by funding the rehabilitation of your newspaper office," Lucas reminded her.  
  
"Right when I was thinking you weren't too much of a jerk."  
  
"Hey hey. Judge hastily; judge hashly. I only want your services for a day, maybe until the night if you're not too tired."  
  
Chloe's head whipped to face him. "You're pulling my leg. No! Scratch the image. What are you talking about?"  
  
"I've noticed your rather eclectic taste. I like it. I want you to decorate my room at the castle, free reign. And you can do it tomorrow. You're still out of school, right?"  
  
"Right." When she looked up again, they were almost at her house. "You remembered the way. Very nice. Luthor brains."  
  
Lucas grimaced as he pulled up her driveway. "I don't know if I should be insulted."  
  
When he took off his seatbelt, Chloe asked, "Where do you think you're going?"  
  
"To see you in."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Chloe, it's ten minutes past ten. Don't you think you need to tell your dad where you've been? And don't you think your date should step in to apologize for having you out so late."  
  
She huffed. "Ten is barely curfew, Lucas."  
  
"All right. If you're sure." Chloe waved before heading up the few steps. "Pleasure seeing you again, Chloe." Lucas waited before she entered the house before driving away.  
  
Gabe, who had been watching from the window, called out when she stepped in. "Hey. I thought I would find you sitting here waiting for you cuts to close. But you went out with your boyfriend. You kids never tire, do you?"  
  
"We're young and energetic, dad," she replied, too tired to worry about a suitable explanation. "If you'll excuse me-"  
  
Gabe waited until she vanished up the stairs before picking up the phone. "Yes, Mr Luthor. We need to talk. It's Gabe Sullivan. No, nothing that concerns the plant. It's a more personal concern. Hope you don't mind. I think my daughter and your brother are getting too involved. I don't know where you received that information, Mr. Luthor, but they most certainly are not. Lucas just dropped my daughter home, and he didn't even come in to face me this time. Yes. That's just it. They're moving too fast." 


	9. Postmodern Mumbo Jumbo

Thanks for informing me that it wasn't uploaded here, Serenity. I don't know what happened. And here I thought nobody was giving me any reviews.  
  
Part 9 Postmodern Mumbo Jumbo  
  
"I think this might look good. I want a sample of this design in midnight blue; and also provide me samples of the next three shades lighter."  
  
Lex Luthor stopped on his way to his bedroom when he heard the familiar voice coming from his brother's room. With a frown, he made his way to the source. He had not seen her since he left her sleeping on her couch the day before. When he broke off their meeting, he just knew that she was pissed with him and therefore would stay away. What was she doing in his house? Reluctantly, he peaked into the room and saw Chloe standing amidst a sea of workers, stripping Lucas' bedroom bare and installing. things. here and there.  
  
The bandages still covered her arms, but he could tell from the clean white cloths that they were there more to protect the wounds from irritation than to keep open cuts closed. Chloe looked delightful in casual jeans and t- shirt. She ever had a bandanna covering her hair, keeping the blonde strands away from her eyes as she oversaw the construction. "I'm having some nice patterns spray painted over there so just push that cabinet to that wall instead." She bit her lip as she analyzed the area of the room. "Better yet, take it away. It's too antique for my taste."  
  
He watched in awe and stunned surprise as Chloe started pulling the sheets off Lucas' bed and handing them to a waiting maid. She then inspected several fresh sheets and ran fingered the material. Smiling at a particular one that she liked, she held it up to her cheeks and moaned with pleasure deep in her throat.  
  
"I can lie forever on sheets like this," she pronounced.  
  
Lex made a mental note to have similar ones taken to his room. He tamped down the urge to pull her out of Lucas' room, and into his where she really belonged. He hurt his women and he was incapable of keeping his promises. Helen was right in that regard. He did think he was in love with Helen when he proposed. How the relationship crumbled right in front of his eyes still puzzled him.  
  
When Chloe returned to her chore, and drew out an interior design magazine from her own bag, Lex stepped back and tried to stop the pounding of his heart. He sought out his father from the various rooms of the house. He started to get frustrated when Lionel was not in any of the offices. Lex was about to storm out of the house and head to the plant when his father's voice from the living room called to him, "Lex! What is with all the noise?"  
  
"Dad," Lex greeted. He strode into the room where he rarely saw his father. Now the older man sat in one of the armchairs with a broadsheet in his hands. "I was looking for you."  
  
Lionel motioned to the room in general. "I have not been here for a long time," he told him. "I only now rediscover how relaxing it is."  
  
Lex's eyes briefly scanned the room, but found nothing different. It looked the same as it did all the other times he stayed there to read. "Dad, I need to know what Chloe is doing here."  
  
"She's your brother's girlfriend, Lex. She has every right to. 'hang around' the castle." Lionel shook his head. "Your question brings to mind certain double standards."  
  
"What are you talking about?" Lex demanded.  
  
Lionel folded up his newspaper and tossed it on the coffeetable. "Well the last time I checked, this was still the Luthor castle. Yet you allowed this doctor to roam around the house without a by-your-leave from either me or your brother. Do I even need to mention the fact that you had had Victoria Hardwick and Desiree Atkins live here too?"  
  
Lex's thin eyebrows shot up to what would have been his hairline. "Lucas was effectively nonexistent at those times," he defended himself. "And father, do not kid me about Victoria. I'd say you had her pay for her rent enough with the pictures I saw of your transaction."  
  
The briefest of smiles graced Lionel's lips. "Not the point, son. My point if that since we do not question your visitors, you must not question Lucas'."  
  
"I was not against the idea of Chloe in the house, dad," Lex explained. "I was wondering why Lucas' room is undergoing an overhaul. She's up there picking wallpaper!"  
  
Lionel sighed and picked up his newspaper again, keeping his eyes closely trained on the fine print that Lex just knew that he was keeping something.  
  
"Dad," Lex prodded. "Are you considering answering my question this decade, or should I come back when you're old and gray and ask you again?"  
  
Lionel turned the page and sighed once more. "She probably wants to be comfortable there," he stated casually, "so she's moving things around."  
  
A dark cloud passed over Lex's face at the indirect answer. "Are you telling me that Chloe might probably maybe could by some chance at one instance." Deep calming breath that did not work. At all. "Consider stay long enough in Lucas' room that it has to be designed to her tastes? And be close enough to Lucas' bed to have the sheets changed with one that feels smooth against her skin?" He swallowed uncomfortably. "Don't you think it's a little odd that there are carpenters working in one of the rooms, dad?"  
  
"No," Lionel said. "Not really."  
  
"It doesn't bother you that Chloe has had your priceless antiques hauled out and is doing funky postmodern mumbo-jumbo with the room?"  
  
"They're teenagers, Lex. Let Chloe and Lucas do whatever makes them happy."  
  
"Now I know something is up," Lex stated.  
  
"All right," Lionel capitulated. "I'll tell you what the big surprise is." Lex stared intently at his father, watching his face for a twitch, a cringe, or the hint of a grin-anything that would give away any lying on the old man's part. "Can you come to a party on Saturday? It's going to be held right here."  
  
Lex could not imagine what it had to do with the sudden renovation of Lucas' room, but he decided to catch the fish through its mouth. "Will Chloe be there?"  
  
Lionel chuckled. "Of course she will be there. The party would be nothing without her!"  
  
What that meant he doubted Lionel would tell him. "Dad, Gabe called me very concerned about how that relationship is going." He wanted to tell his father that Chloe was not in love with Lucas as much as she was with him, but he really had no proof other than that the medicated girl kissed him in a drowsy haze. And he didn't even have evidence of that happening. Lex stuck with his strongest argument. "We know Lucas is not the most responsible person on earth. We should be worried about where he wants to take this, especially if he has her redesigning his room. Like you said yourself, dad: They're teenagers."  
  
Lucas strode into the room bearing an open black velvet box. Lex could swear he saw something remarkable glint. "Dad, do you think this is good enough for Chloe?" The diamond shone briefly to match Lucas' bright smile. He saw Lex standing in front of their father and he easily clapped the box shut. "Lex! I didn't know you'd be here."  
  
Lex's eyes narrowed at the grin on Lucas' face. He couldn't trust the sincerity in the younger man's face because he knew first hand how amazing an actor his brother was. "I could sense that," he replied.  
  
"So." Lucas trailed off. He met his father's eyes before looking at Lex again.  
  
"So," Lex answered confidently. He settled into a chair and dared Lucas to say what he came bounding into the living room to say. "You were telling dad something."  
  
Lucas slipped the box discreetly into his pocket. Lex's eyes followed his movements. "Dad," Lucas said, "may I see you in your office please? If you don't mind, Lex."  
  
"Not at all," Lex gritted out. "I was leaving anyway." Lex stiffly walked away from the living room.  
  
He could hear the soft murmur of voices and simmered. He made his way to his bedroom to ponder on his next move. It was a game of chess and he was playing against two Luthor brains. Lex knew he would never willingly admit defeat to either of the two.  
  
He passed the bedroom that Chloe was redesigning to bring a homier feel to it. He swore that she would never have the chance to feel at home in there. If he had his way, Chloe would never step foot in that room again. He cursed the stupid guilt complex that Helen Bryce hammered into him.  
  
Lex dropped down at the center of his bed and closed his eyes. His sheets were not that bed. He wagered that if Chloe ever laid down on it, she would find herself getting used to the texture eventually. Hell, if he got her to lie on his bed, she would not be analyzing little things like the texture of the sheet. She would be too engrossed with other more important things to think of the sheets.  
  
To hell with Helen and her speech about never loving a woman without hurting her. He was done with protecting Chloe if it was going to send her straight into his brother's arms. It was time that he took Lucas' advice about reforming his cool attitude. This time, Lex Luthor was getting out the big guns. 


	10. The Lexcapade

Part 10 The Lexcapade  
  
The sight of Lex Luthor's car breezing through the streets of the small town was not a new one. The peaceful residents turned their hands to watch the young billionaire speeding through with no thought to safety. Someday, Lex Luthor's car would drive off another bridge and there would be no Clark Kent to jump in and fish him out. Until then, they would just shake their heads and hope that the young man did not hit any of their children on his path to his own grave. His no-good brother was the same. Of course Lucas Luthor was not as bad as Lex was. He had not been as exposed to the devil incarnate of a father they had as Lex had been.  
  
Inside the small car, Lex was as oblivious to what the residents thought as they supposed. He stepped on the gas to pick up the already rapid trek. The vehicle ate up the distance from the manor to the Talon in mere minutes. By the time he screeched to a stop in front of the coffeehouse, not one person in Main Street remained undisturbed. Lex quickly stepped out of the car and strode towards the door.  
  
The Talon was once again occupied by less than half its seating capacity. He really should review his investment in the business. He knew that he had planned to do it before, and then he had spotted Chloe Sullivan seated in one of the booths. She had drawn him into such a conversation that he had forgotten his intent. And then, because he held his almost regular meetings with her in the coffeeshop, Lex decided he would keep the Talon after all.  
  
He was satisfied to see that one of the few patrons was the girl he had been looking for. The party was tonight, and he could smell the tension in the air whenever he would pass her by. Her interior decorating skills had been invested in Lucas' room, and he would swear to heaven and hell before she ever stepped foot in there again with a purpose other than to strip down her touches of color and style from the otherwise glum bedroom. He just knew that whatever the purpose of the party was, he was not going to be happy. Actually, he was certain. The ring box and Lionel's excitement said it all. It still amazed him how warmly his father took the girl. Heck, it still amazed him how stealthily she got under his skin. All those conversations about meteor rocks was probably calculated to make him fall for her. He should be more wary when he was close to her. Then again, it was too late.  
  
Lex sighed. Right. All those remarks about his shallow desire to bed all the brunettes that made the tiniest overture towards him were made so that he would notice how nice and plump her lower lip was, how the red just made him want to take it between his teeth. When she mentioned how dense he was for not seeing the connection between the freaks and the meteor rocks, she was actually drawing his eyes towards her cleavage in the flirtatious way she always did when her stupids meant gorgeous and her weirds meant unbelievably freakishly drool-causingly sexy. Lex would have rolled his eyes if there were not people who would see him acting unlike the Lex they knew and feared. And then he remembered his resolution. He would not be the stiff albeit attractive businessman who Chloe would willingly trade for his irresponsible and deranged brother. Lex breathed deeply and waited for Chloe to look up and see him. He would do it. He was going to show her that he was capable of doing something wild, something Lucas would do, something crazy.  
  
Chloe heard the hushed murmur of the other customers.  
  
She put down her coffee and turned towards the direction the others were looking.  
  
Lex waited as the movement of her head took on a slow motion.  
  
One.  
  
Two.  
  
Three.  
  
Her eyes met his. Lex took another breath for confidence.  
  
And then he rolled his eyes.  
  
Chloe's gaze widened and she covered her gasp with trembling hands. Lex hid his smirk. He did it. He finally proved that he could do something that was not in character. Armed with that newfound self-assurance at having caught her off guard with a simple gesture, Lex ambled towards her booth and slipped smoothly into the seat in front of her. She was still regaining her composure.  
  
"I hear you're going to the party," he began.  
  
It did not take her long to recover. Chloe raised both eyebrows in a movement that Lex now knew, well okay suspected, was meant to emphasize the beautiful hazel orbs that served as her haunting eyes. "And I'm surprised you're even talking to me."  
  
And she just said that so that he would be enraptured by the sound of her voice. The girl was a merciless temptress! He almost groaned aloud. "Why wouldn't I be talking to you, Chloe?" He watched her expression carefully, because that was something she couldn't cheat about. He learned that from his weeks of talking to her. Whatever Chloe felt, it showed clearly on her features.  
  
Her eyes sparked with obvious irritation. "Well Lex, you stood me up! And right after we-we-Ugh!"  
  
"But you recovered easily," he mentions offhandedly. "The next day you're hanging around Lucas' bedroom like you're-" And then he remembered that resolution again. "But you know what? I'm so cool with that."  
  
"You are?" He saw her surprise.  
  
Lex gritted his teeth. If she whooped and celebrated right then, he was going to grab her and haul her over his lap and land several well-placed smacks on her butt. And by smacks he did not mean that he was going to spank her, although that was just another level of Lex-happy. "Definitely. What did you think? That I'm so stiff and reserved that I would oppose you having a little fun with another guy? Come on, Chloe."  
  
Horror spread over her face. "Ass!"  
  
"Thanks." Would he be incarcerated if he dumped Lucas down the cellar and sealed the door until he was married with children with this girl? "But you know what? Between you and me, you shouldn't be kissing Lucas."  
  
"Lex," she whispered furiously, "I don't understand you! Are you telling me to find someone else to kiss?" Lex was caught unaware. He did not want that. Shit. What kind of brain goes to that conclusion at once? Lex nodded. Chloe narrowed her eyes. "Lex Luthor, are you telling me that I'm not good enough for Lucas? Are you telling me you can kiss me but I'm not good enough for a relationship with your brother?"  
  
He was going to have to plan this unpredictable and cool thing later. He was going to make diagrams and flowcharts about what he has to do and say so it doesn't turn out like this. Right now, he was being erratic. Wait. Wasn't erratic attractive? Wasn't erratic part of the wild and youthful? He seriously had to plot unpredictability to get it just right.  
  
"You know, Chloe, I'll see you at the party." Lex hastily slipped out of the booth and hurried to his car. When he got to his car, he released a tremulous breath. That did not go as planned, and it was her fault. She did not swoon at his rolling eyes gesture. Did he not roll sexily enough?  
  
~~  
  
Chloe walked across the parking lot that stretched in front of the Luthor castle. She had picked the best, sluttiest dress she could find from the things her mother left. True, they were probably worn two decades ago. However, there were just some cuts and colors that never died. She had found a small black dress that ended midthigh that was going to kill Lex Luthor. She swore that by all the stars that were looking down at her tonight. She was going to get Lucas to wrap his arms around her and dance with her so closely that Lex would not know when she ended and Lucas began. Those were things she would rather Lex do, but if he was going to be such a bastard about her worth, then she was going to show him just how precious of a commodity she could be.  
  
She took her phone out of her small purse and called Lucas. "You know my boyfriend should escort me in," she told him. Within seconds, she saw the fine figure of Lucas Luthor cut against the glaring white lights coming from the castle.  
  
Lucas' arm around her waist, Chloe walked into the house. Lionel immediately went forward to greet her. She looked around for the arrogant Lex and found him standing by the bar, dunking shot after shot of something as clear as water. Chloe saw him look at her and she learned her head against Lucas' muscular arm. "Kiss me," she commanded. Lucas pressed a kiss on her temple. Chloe snorted. "Am I your sister?"  
  
Lucas choked. "I'd rather reserve the passionate kisses for later."  
  
"Are you seeing your brother's glowering looks?"  
  
"And fearing them."  
  
"Pffft. He's not going to murder you, especially in front of this crowd."  
  
Lucas led her to the middle of the dancefloor where all other couples were twirling to a waltz like there was no tomorrow. He laid his palm on the small of her back and took huge steps. "Lex is capable of anything."  
  
"Apparently everything except for holding on to a promise. Did you know that your brother doesn't think I'm worthy of you?"  
  
Lucas shook his head and continued to dance with her. "I'm sure there's a misunderstanding somewhere there." He whirled them swiftly around and dipped her, causing her to squeal and giggle.  
  
"I don't think we were supposed to dip."  
  
"Who the hell cares?" he pronounced with a grin.  
  
At the time, they were only a few feet away from Lex. He heard his brother's words and tried it himself, "Who the hell cares?" Lex grinned too. It didn't sound so bad coming from him. Maybe he was going to try that again.  
  
Lionel tapped him on the shoulder. "Are you enjoying this break from work, son?"  
  
"Ah, who the hell cares?" slipped from his tongue. Lionel shook his head and walked away from him.  
  
Meanwhile, Lucas and Chloe approached him. "Having fun, Lex?" Lucas asked. His eyes fell on the several shotglasses in front of his brother. "Chloe," he said, turning to the blonde. "I'm going to talk to my dad briefly about something."  
  
She watched Lucas get eaten up by the crowd. Turning back to the bartender, she asked for a Coke. The guy smiled at her and gave her the iced drink.  
  
"You know what Lucas is going to ask dad, don't you?"  
  
"Contrary to popular belief, I'm not snoopy enough to know everything," she retorted. "And I have a sinking suspicion that you're drunk. The fact that I noticed that without even trying just shows how drunk you are, Lex."  
  
Lex clasped her arm with a firm hand. "He's going to ask dad if he can ask you to marry him in front of all these people so that you'll be trapped and can't say no."  
  
"Are you crazy?" she whispered furiously when a woman who overheard them turned her head. "Shut up, Lex! Do you want my dad to have a heart attack?"  
  
"It's true, Chloe. I saw the ring. Do you believe my dad would invite this many people for a party that's just for fun? It's your engagement party, Chloe, so I hope that you're enjoying it!"  
  
"What?!" She and Lucas never talked about anything of the like. She hired Lucas to help him get Lex to admit that he liked her. What was this about Lionel? The poor old bastard did not know about what she and his son cooked up. Narrowing her eyes, Chloe pulled Lex out of the ballroom and down the corridor towards the main doors. She only stopped dragging him when they reached the parking lot where no one would hear them. "You odious man! What the hell were you doing?"  
  
It was just what Lex wanted. He spotted his car a few feet away and pulled her kicking to it. With his free hand, he fished for his keys and opened the door for her. He then jumped to the driver's seat with Chloe watching in awe. Within seconds, they were speeding out of the Luthor property and heading out of town. "I'm not going to sit by and watch you commit the biggest mistake of your life, Chloe," he said moments later. "Lucas is a good guy. He is. But you can't stay with him. He's irresponsible and childish. You deserve someone like me. I may be stiff and reserved. I may be old. But I am the best guy you can possibly be with."  
  
Chloe could not believe her ears. "I knew that!" she protested. "But you friggin stood me up and told me you can't see me!"  
  
Lex glared at her. "Stop trying to make a point. I'm not impressed!"  
  
"I have no idea what you think you're up to, but you are crazy."  
  
"I'm kidnapping you. What does it look like?" he snapped exasperatedly.  
  
"Hey! Why are you driving?" She stared intently at him and gasped. "You're not drunk!"  
  
"I was drinking water, Chloe."  
  
"You planned this! Even the most insane and unpredictable thing you ever did was planned," she said in disbelief.  
  
"Face it, Chloe, and accept it. I'm a planning man."  
  
Chloe sighed. "Well, planning man, did you plan to let me starve and dehydrate? Because you kidnapped me before dinner. I didn't eat anything so I can fit into this dress."  
  
His eyes ran over her body appreciatively. "We'll get some drivethrough from that McDonalds."  
  
Chloe chuckled. "You went this way out of Smallville because you knew there was going to be a fastfood right at the part where I was going to complain."  
  
Lex shrugged.  
  
"So where did you get reservations for us?"  
  
"At a bed and breakfast just several hundred kilometers from Smallville. I'm only planning to keep you until I could make you understand how wrong Lucas is for you."  
  
Chloe rolled her eyes this time. "First of all, Lucas is not in love with me," she told him.  
  
"How could he not be!"  
  
"Gosh, Lex, thanks." She winked at him. "Next, that was a ring I asked your brother to get fixed because he knows a good shop that doesn't charge too much. It was my mom's."  
  
"Oh. Then what's up with all the kissing and hugging?"  
  
"Your dad made me hang out with him in exchange for refurbishing the trashed Torch. Lucas wanted me to pretend to be his girlfriend to throw your business associate off his trail. The guy was sniffing after Lucas to marry his sister," she enumerated. "And then you became an asshole and I had to get Lucas to make you jealous. He made me pay by making me redecorate his room," she said in a rush.  
  
Lex's eyes narrowed. Everything she said was plausible. However, there were too many coincidences. His father went to Chloe and offered his help just when Lucas was arriving. He was called to a bungled meeting the exact day Lucas was going home because of a blown allowance. When he confronted Lionel, he made it seem like he knew firsthand that Lucas and Chloe were very much involved. Not to mention the fact that his father led him to believe that the redecoration was part of something nastier, dirtier, and damn, so much sexier.  
  
"Chloe," Lex said. "I'm attracted to you. As soon as we can pick up on some sort of relationship, we will. Do you want that?"  
  
She screwed her lips. "Not exactly romantic."  
  
"It's going to be," he promised in a voice that made her tingle all over. "However, there's one thing we have to do first."  
  
"Ummm. I'm really not ready-"  
  
"I have a proposition for you."  
  
Her eyebrows shot up. "Okay. In that regard, I'm very experienced. Shoot." 


	11. Malevolent Pair

Part 11 Malevolent Pair  
  
Lionel was proudest of his sons when they were exhibiting traits he had inculcated in them. Needless to say, right now he was proudest of Lucas for being so manipulative when he had actually been away from Lionel's tutelage for most of his life.  
  
It had been hours since the party winded down, hours since they had confirmation that both Chloe and Lex left the castle together. From the security tape that Lucas lugged into the library, the two men watched as Lex went over the threshold of sanity and control when he abducted Chloe Sullivan.  
  
"I have to say, son, that I knew you were reprehensible. The way you played your cards though, pushing Lex closer to the edge with every move, is far beyond my expectations." Lionel poured two glasses of Lex's celebratory scotch and handed one to Lucas. "Coming in with the ring while Lex was with me? Brilliant!"  
  
Lucas' lips curved upwards and he raised his glass to his father. "I cannot take credit for the magnificent genes that turned me into a natural schemer, dad. Besides, this all started out with your idea." Lucas drew a deep gulp of the alcohol.  
  
The older man nodded in agreement. "You're right, Lucas. We would not have succeeded if it were not for me. Still, you contributed," he allowed. Lionel walked over to Lex's plush seat and lowered himself on it. He swirled the liquid inside his glass thoughtfully. "It feels rather odd to finally succeed in a plot in which I am sure Lex would not despise me. Come to think of it, no one will get hurt in this one," Lionel murmured.  
  
"You've got to try new things sometimes, dad."  
  
"That's true. There's some sort of weird jolt in here." Lionel jerked his thumb towards his chest.  
  
"How does it feel?"  
  
"Odd," Lionel answered. "Not exactly unpleasant. Unfamiliar yet vaguely warm." He frowned. "I hope this is not a heart attack."  
  
Lucas shook his head. "Heart attacks are sometimes painful, often numbing. You're not numb, are you, dad?"  
  
Lionel cocked his head to the side and considered his entire body for a minute. "Far from numb," he finally concluded. "There is a tingle that radiates through my limbs."  
  
"Where is it coming from?"  
  
Again, Lionel indicated his chest. "Very strange. I don't feel like I'm dying. But then again, what would I know? The only time I was ever close was when I got shot, and the fall from the library balcony knocked me out."  
  
"So," Lucas said thoughtfully, sitting in front of the desk with his scotch in hand, "there's a warm tingly feeling going through your limbs."  
  
"And it's coming from here," Lionel added.  
  
"Your heart," Lucas smirked. "Or whatever is in there pumping your blood."  
  
"Don't be a condescending ass, Lucas," Lionel advised, then caught himself. "No. Don't take that advice seriously. Be a condescending ass, but only to others. Your father deserves more than that."  
  
"Sure thing, pop."  
  
Lionel frowned at what he believed was a degrading reference. He picked up the phone to dial his doctor's number. "I should probably get a cardiogram soon. I am not as young as I look."  
  
Lucas furrowed his eyebrows, inspecting every line on his father's face, every gray in his hair, and said, "You don't look young."  
  
"And I reiterate the advice I imparted not twenty seconds ago."  
  
Lucas smirked and settled back in his chair while his father tried to connect to his doctor. After a few moments of silence, he sat up and slammed the glass on the table. "I have it!"  
  
Lionel dropped the handset in surprise. "Heart attack?"  
  
"No, dad! I know what you're feeling."  
  
"And you're a doctor now?" Lionel said patronizingly. "When did this come about?"  
  
"When did you start feeling like this?"  
  
Lionel shrugged. "When we watched the tape."  
  
"Of your eldest going wacko."  
  
"I wouldn't term it that but yes, it was when Lex went off the deep end and retrieved enough balls to go after the girl he's been hot for."  
  
"Well, dad," Lucas proclaimed in a superior manner, "I deduce that you are feeling satisfied with yourself."  
  
"That's ridiculous. I have always been satisfied with me. I am the epitome of human excellence!"  
  
"Alright," Lucas said. "Not satisfied as much as contented. You are inwardly applauding yourself for a deep well done. You believe you've caused happiness for Lex. And that is all you ever wanted."  
  
Lionel flushed a deep red. "Your lack of proper education is showing through," he muttered, turning away from his son and looking out the window.  
  
Lucas smirked. Just then, they heard the rapid knock on the doorway. Lucas stood to answer it when the knocking became more like pounding, getting more frantic at every passing second. He looked over to his father who was now glaring at the one intruding their bonding session. Lucas strode to the door and pulled it open.  
  
"Chloe?!" he gasped. "What happened?"  
  
Upon hearing the name, Lionel advanced towards the door. When he saw the girl outside, he stumbled a step back. Chloe stood there shivering, with her hands and arms stained pink with blood. The front of her blouse was drenched with an even darker shade.  
  
Chloe was pale and trembling. Lucas drew her into the study and warmed her upper arms with his hands. "What happened to you?" Lucas demanded again, more softly this time.  
  
She licked her parched lips. "Can I get a drink?" she whispered hoarsely. "Please."  
  
"Certainly, my dear. Where's Lex?" Lionel helped her sip some of his scotch.  
  
Chloe coughed at the burning sensation in her throat. She sniffed again and handed the glass back to Lionel. She glanced up at Lucas' concerned eyes and took a deep breath. "He kidnapped me!" she cried. "And then he tried to kill me because he said I was only involved with Lucas for his money!"  
  
"What?" Lucas yelled. "No. No. You must have misunderstood him!"  
  
Chloe shook her head wildly. "Lex grabbed me from the party and spirited me off to this really deserted part outside Smallville," she narrated. "And then he went berserk. He attacked me! Lex swooped down on me and tried to choke me!"  
  
Lionel shook his head faintly. "My son would never do that."  
  
"He did," she insisted.  
  
"Did he squeeze your throat?" Lucas asked. He inspected the skin of her neck and found no bruises. "Did he hold his hand over your mouth and nose?"  
  
"He's a freak," Chloe gasped. "He tried to strangle me by ramming his tongue down my throat so I wouldn't be able to breathe!"  
  
Lucas threw a horrified look towards his father. Lionel started massaging his temples. "Chloe, dear, you did misunderstand. I cannot believe my son did not make his intentions clear. You can't think he means you harm."  
  
"Of course he means me harm," Chloe snapped. "He tried to wrestle me. And believe me, Mr. Luthor, despite the fact that your son looks thin, he is one heavy guy."  
  
"He. tried. to. wrestle you?" Lionel choked out.  
  
"He took my wrists and pinned them over my head. And then he pinned me down."  
  
"Chloe, why are you bloody? I assume in this misunderstanding you kicked him in the shin and ran?"  
  
Chloe covered her face with her hands and sobbed loudly. "Ahcldm," she said in a muffled voice.  
  
"What?" Lucas prodded. "Chloe, we can't help if we don't understand you. Look at you and Lex. You had a miscommunication and now you're confused."  
  
She sniffed loudly and glared at him. "I killed him!" Lionel's glass shattered on the floor. "We. rolled down to the ground. because he was really. energetic. He's an energetic killer," she informed them.  
  
"Sure."  
  
"I felt a rock and just." she trailed off.  
  
Lucas bit his lip. "Whacked him?"  
  
She nodded. "You have to help me. It was self defense!"  
  
Lionel reached blindly for support. Lucas grasped his father's hand and led him to a chair. "You okay, dad?"  
  
"I think now I know what a heart attack feels like," he murmured.  
  
"I'm so sorry!" Chloe cried again. "I had no idea Lex would go insane."  
  
Lionel rested his elbows on his knees and clasped his hands over his eyes. When Lucas saw this, he helped Chloe out of the study. "We'll deal with this," he told her calmly. "I will go and find Lex. You couldn't have hit him so hard. I'll retrieve him. Lex won't press charges," he assured her. "Now I want you to take a bath and remove all traces of blood on you. You can go to one of the guest bathrooms and I'll have a maid bring up fresh clothes."  
  
Chloe nodded blankly. Lucas dropped her off in front of one of the rooms and went back to the study to inform his father of his newfound mission. Lionel seemed lost and mournful so Lucas assured him that Lex would be fine.  
  
When Lucas was gone, Chloe slipped out of the guest room and tiptoed to Lex's bedroom. She closed the door behind her and sighed. She shook her head at Lex, who sat at the center of the bed, surrounded with water basins, makeup and food colors.  
  
"That was awful!" she groaned.  
  
"Hey," Lex said with a huge grin, "I thought it was brilliant." He pointed to the screen where security video of the study was playing. "You deserve a Kids' Choice Award."  
  
Chloe screwed her lips at the thought. She collapsed on the bed beside him, overturning a water basin and drenching the sheets. "How long before you actually go out there and end their misery?"  
  
"A week?" he suggested.  
  
Chloe hit him on the shoulder. "That is way too evil, especially for you. Your dad looks devastated. Lucas is out there looking for a body that isn't even there, but here wrapped in a nice warm robe."  
  
"Fine," Lex said. "Four days."  
  
"Lex!" she exclaimed.  
  
"Five hours and that's my last offer."  
  
"One and we'll talk about that second kiss," she bargained.  
  
Lex narrowed his eyes at her and drew her close to him. He leaned closer to her and whispered, "Kiss me now and we'll emerge right after."  
  
Her lips parted in response to the warmth of his breath on her skin. Chloe surrendered to the kiss with closed lips, savoring every sensation that he awakened inside her. When he lifted his mouth from hers to take a breath, her eyes fluttered open and she smiled at him. "What was that you were saying about a week, Lex?"  
  
fin 


End file.
